EUROPE 



VIEWED THROUGH 



AMERICA!^ SPECTACLES. 



BY 



CHARLES CARROLL FULTON, 

EDITOR OF THE BALTIMORE AMERICAN. 



O. C. IF. 



Ci 







PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 

1874. 



TUB UB&ART 

WABUimOttOM 

zsssx 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by 

CHARLES C. FULTON, 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 



Lippincott's PrE9( 
Philadelphia. 



.^«<i 



PREFACE AND DEDICATION. 



"Europe viewed theough American Spectacles" — the title 
chosen for this book of travels— will be found to express its dis- 
tinctive characteristics. It contains precisely such facts about 
Europe, and the social life and peculiarities of the people of most 
of the Continental nations, as all Americans ought to know, 
which they desire to know, and which are usually ignored in 
similar books of travel. 

The author visited Europe to inform himself as to the difference 
between life abroad and life at home, and to study the social 
questions of different nations. He has endeavored to describe 
what came under his observation with fairness and candor, so that 
the reader may see exactly what he saw, and travel hand in hand 
with him. The contents of this volume were published in the 
columns of The Baltimore American mostly during the past year, 
as familiar letters, written in the haste of travel. They are now 
placed in book-form in compliance with what seems to be a very 
general demand, and in the hope that their extensive dissemination 
may lead all Americans to hold in higher estimation their own free 
institutions, and to cherish and love the land where freedom of 
speech and of the press exists, — where the youth of the country 
are not reared in military barracks or slaughtered on battle-fields 
to uphold the " divine right" of kings, — where religion is not 
hampered by state interference, — where marriage is not obstructed 
by laws which render immorality and vice the necessary fate of a 
large class of the people, — and where women are regarded as the 
helpmates and bosom companions of men, and neither bartered 
off in marriage for a money consideration, nor used by hundreds 
of thousands as common laborers in field-work and among bricks 

8 



4 PREFACE AND DEDICATION. 

and mortar, — where they are not required to do scavenger-work, 
be the bearers of the heaviest burdens, or draw carts and wagons 
yoked by the side of mangy curs. 

By those who have visited Europe this volume will be found 
especially interesting, entertaining, and amusing; to those who 
intend to visit Europe, the author thinks it will be more valuable 
than most of the guide-books ; and to those who do not expect to 
make a European tour, it will furnish much practical information 
that cannot be found in any other volume extant. 

To the Press of the country generally, which has so largely 
published fragmentary extracts from this tour of Europe, it is 
respectfully dedicated, in the hope that it will still further aid 
in enabling all Americans to see Europe through "American 
Spectacles." To our friend and fellow-traveler of ante-bellum 
times, that prince of good fellows, Murat Halstead, Esq., Editor 
of the Cincinnati Commercial, and our excellent friends. Colonel 
George W. Childs, Editor of the Philadelphia Ledger, and Hugh 
J. Hastings, Esq., of the New York Commercial, all of whom have 
given to their readers such copious extracts, we especially tender 
our thanks for a generous appreciation of our labors. 

C. C. F. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Ocean Experiences 9 

Monotony of Ocean Travel 9 

Experiences of the Sea 9 

Amusements at Sea 10 

Charms of the Sea 11 

First Impressions of the Sea 301 

Miseries of the Sea 302 

Intimacies of the Sea 302 

Jollities of the Sea 303 

Sunday on Shipboard 304 

Icebergs on the Ocean 305 

Among the Icebergs 305 

Homeward Bound 308 

The Ocean Highway 309 

City OP Bremen 12 

Sunday at Bremen 13 

Emigration to America 13 

A Beautiful City 13 

Undecayed Mummies 14 

City OP Berlin 14 

Trials of Travel 14 

The Royal Museum 15 

Impressions of Berlin 15 

Working Women 15 

Working Dogs 16 

Cost of Royalty 16 

Berlin and its People 17 

Military Display 17 

The Berlin Opera 17 

Berlin Hotels 18 

City OP Dresden 19 

First-class Travel 19 

Masculine Kisses 19 

Beer-Drinking 19 

Impressions of Dresden 20 

Dresden by Gas-light 21 

The-Green Vault 21 

Dress of the People 22 

Old Churches 22 

Sunday in Dresden 22 

The Zwinger Palace 23 

Sunday on the Elbe 23 

Dresden Houses 23 

Market-Places 24 

Pet Sparrows 24 

City of' Vienna 25 

Vienna the Beautiful 25 

Working Women 26 

Cafe Life in Vienna 26, 63 



City of Vienna — Continued. 

Drinking-AVater 27 

Shopping in Vienna 27 

Ladies of Vienna 28 

Religious Freedom 28 

The Volksgarten 28 

Vienna Hotels 29 

Twelve Hours a Day's Work 29 

The Ringstrasse 30 

The Grand Opera 30, 43, 53 

A Paper-money Country 31 

The Esterhazy Keller 32 

The Vienna Exposition 32, 38, 48, 71, 76 

The "Dutch Treat" 34 

Emperor's Summer Palace 35 

Scenes on the Prater 36, 50 

Experience of German Life 37 

Strauss and his Music 39 

Street Scenes in Vienna 39 

Funerals by Contract 40, 67 

Wedding Peculiarities 41 

The Royal Jewels 41 

Virtue of the Empire 41 

Life among the People 41 

American Drinks 42 

Vienna Building Associations 44 

Austrian Germany 46 

"Nix Deutsch" 47 

A Musical People 47, 68 

Grand Military Review 53 

Vienna Fire Department 55 

The Beauty of Vienna 56 

Kissing Hands 57, 77 

Austrian Politeness 57 

Beer and Coffee 58 

Vienna General Hospital 58 

A^ienna Extortion 60 

Morals and Marriage 60 

Marriage among the Well-born 61 

German Life — Beer-Drinking 63 

Absence of Intoxicating Liquors 64 

Scarcity of Drinking-Water 64 

The Vienna Bourse 65 

Austrian Women 65 

The Military Adonis 66 

AVant to go to America 67 

Respect for the Law 68 

The German Birthday 71 

The Catholic Shrines 72 

Poodle Dogs 73 

The Austrian Ladies 74 

. The AVorkingwomen 75 

Gentlemen of A''ienna 75 

Foreign and Home Food 77 

5 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Pesth AND Trieste 78 

From Pesth to Trieste 78 

Down the Danube 78 

City of Trieste 79-82 

Pesth and Ofen 80 

The Blue Adriatic 81 

The Women of Trieste • 83 

Railroad Experiences 83-84 

The City of Steyer 85 

German Watering-Places 85 

Hall, and how we got there 86 

A Chapter of Mishaps 86 

Advice to Travelers 87 

Attractions of Hall 88-90 

The Austrian Women 89 

Strong-minded Women 89 

The Austrian German "92" 

Vice in the Cities 93 

Virtue in the Rural Districts 93 

German Temperance 94 

Extreme Politeness 94 

German Summer Resorts 95 

Use of Tobacco 95 

Baden-Baden on Sunday 96 

The Gambling Scene 97-100 

Rouge-et-Noir 97-101 

The Springs,— "Hell" 99 

The Conversationshaus 99 

The Temple of Silence 102 

Temptations to Play 103 

Bavaria— Munich 103, 109 

Our "Horrible Language" 105 

The "Konigs-See" 106 

The Berchtesgaden Salt-mines 106 

City of Munich 109 

Soldiering in Bf^varia 110 

The King of Bavaria 110 

Bavarian Beer-Drinking 112 

The Royal Brewery 113 

The Innkeeper's Commandments 114 

More about Beer 115 

Matrimonial Customs 116 

The Yankee School-Teachers 117 

The Royal Palace 118 

The Munich Park 118 

Statue of Bavaria 119 

Academy of Fine Arts 120 

Beer! Beer! Beer! 120 

Munich Bronze Foundry 121 

Studying English \ 122 

Hotel Greetings 123 

WURTEMBERG 123 

Notes by the AVay 123 

Sunday in Stuttgart 124 

Visitors to the Fatherland ]25 

The Marriage Question 126 

DtiCHY OF Baden 126 

Castle of Heidelberg 128 

The German Tourist 129 

Student-Life at Heidelberg 130 

Heidelberg Dueling Ill, 133 

Darmstadt 133 

City of Darmstadt 134 

These Old Towns 134 



PAGE 

Darmstadt — Continued. 

Religious Toleration 135 

Provision Stores 135 

Female Clerks 136 

German Babies 136 

Frankfort-on-the-Main 136 

City of Frankfort 137 

Jewish Quarter 137 

Ariadne on the Panther 138 

Emigration and Military Service 138 

Down the Rhine 139 

Rhine Tourists 140 

Mayencc to Bingen 140 

Bingen to Coblentz 140 

English Tourists 142 

Rhine Dinner 143 

Rhine Exaggerations 143 

City of Cologne 143 

View of the City 144 

Cathedral of Cologne 144 

Relics of St. Ursula 145 

City of Paris 145 

Gayety of Paris 145 

Paris and Vienna 145 

Paris by Gas-light 146 

Social Statistics of Paris 147 

Dead of Paris 147 

Parisian Foundlings 148 

Love of Dogs 148 

Yankee Doodle in Paris 149 

Paris Boulevards 150 

Paris Underground 151 

Beautiful Paris 151 

Abattoirs of Paris 152 

Wages in Paris 152 

Paris Hotels 154 

Cleanliness of Paris 154 

Bois de Boulogne 155 

Jardin d'Acclimatatiou 156 

Markets of Paris 156 

Market for Old Clothes 157 

"Chateau Rouge" 158 

The Grisette 160 

" It's Naughty, but it's Nice" 160 

The Mabille Audience 161 

The Mabille Dancers 161 

The Champs Elysees on Sunday 163 

Place de la Concorde 164 

Business Women 164 

Social Questions 165 

Matrimonial Agencies 165 

French Marriage-Laws 166 

Omitting the Ceremony 166 

Social Degradation 167 

English and American Travelers 168 

Amenities of Travel 168 

Horse Butchers 168 

Duval's Boucherio 169 

Exemption from Fines 170 

Mysterious Work of Art 171 

How Paris is painted 172 

Fete of St. Cloud 173 

Sunday Amusements 175 

Americans Europcanized 175 

Boarding-School French 176 

American Food Troubles 176 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

City of Paris — Continued. 

Mending their Manners 177 

No "Rings" in Paris 178 

The Mont de Piete 179 

Etiquette of the Streets 179 

Construction of Houses ISO 

Shop-keepers of Paris 181 

"AuBon Marche" 183 

Scarcity of Water 183 

Hot Bread 183 

City OP Marseilles 181 

Sunday in Marseilles 185 

Public Gardens 185 

Scenes on the Streets 186 

Law and Order 186 

Scene at the Bourse 186 

Table-d'H&te 187 

Italy, Naples, Rome, etc 188 

On the Mediterranean 188 

City of Genoa 188 

Leghorn and Pisa 190 

The Leaning Tower 191 

Civita Vecchia 191 

Fleas and Beggars 192 

Italian Cooking 192 

City of Naples 192 

Naples on Sunday 193 

A Walk on the Toledo 194 

Neapolitan Ladies 194 

Happiness of the People 195 

How the Babies are nursed 197 

The Faithful Donkey 197 

Pompeii— its Ruins 198 

Ascent of Vesuvius 202 

The Craters— a Night Scene 204 

Lava and Ashes 205 

Vesuvius in Eruption 205 

A Fiery Experience 207 

Exaggerations of Italy 208 

Liquefaction of the Blood of San Gen- 

naro 209 

The Dead of Naples 210 

Italian Scenery 211 

Ruins of Peestum 212 

Temples of Prestum 213 

Street Scenes in Naples 213 

City of Rome 214 

Italians and Priests 215 

Visit to St. Peter's 217 

Miraculous Relics 218 

Down among the Ancients 218 

Mendicant Priests 219 

The Roman Palaces 220 

Down among the Dead Men 221 

" Brother, we must all Die" 221 

Churches of Rome 222 

Sunday in Rome 223 

Garibaldi and Savonarola 224 

City of Florence 224 

Burial of the Poor 227 

The City of Venice 228 

Across the Adriatic 228 

Gondolas and Gondoliers 229 

A Stroll through the City 229 

The Streets of Venice 230 

Churches and Bells 230 

Public Garden 230 



PAGE 

The City of Venice — Continued. 

A Gondola Ride 231 

Venetian Newsboys 232 

The Venice Bourse 232 

Venice as it is 233 

The Gay Gondolier 233 

History of Venice 234 

Islands and Canals 234 

Piazza of St. Mark 235 

St. Mark's on Sunday 236 

The Cries of Venice 236 

Stores of Venice 237 

Feeding Pet Pigeons 237 

Surroundings of Venice 238 

St. Mark's Cathedral 239 

Female Water-Carriers 240 

The Jews' Quarter 240 

Bridge of Sighs 240 

Churches of Venice 241 

Venetian Palaces 242 

Rialto Bridge 242 

Venice by Gas-light , 243 

Ladies of Venice 243 

Theatres of Venice. 243 

Venice Fictions 243 

Love of Music 244 

The City op Verona 244 

Romeo and Juliet 244 

The City of Verona 245 

Roman Amphitheatre 245 

Churches and Cathedrals 245 

City OP Milan 246 

Railroading in Italy 246 

Milan on Sunday 246 

Cathedral of Milan 247 

Streets of Milan 247 

Ladies of Milan 248 

Shopping in Milan 248 

Voyage on Lake Cojio 248 

Farewell to Italy 248 

From Milan to Como 249 

The Lake of Como 249 

Beauties of the Lake 250 

Switzerland 250 

Crossing the Alps 250 

The Spliigen Pass 251 

The Via Mala 251 

Haps and Mishaps 252 

Head of the Rhine 252 

Attractions of Switzerland 252 

Town of Coire 253 

Springs of Pfaffers 253 

Swiss Railroads 254 

Fair Zurich's Waters 254 

City of Zurich 255 

People of Zurich 256 

Europe and America 256 

Sunday in Zurich 257 

Houses of Zurich 257 

The Black Virgin 258 

Lake Lucerne 260 

Town of Fluelen 260 

Honors to Tell 261 

Ascent of Mount Righi 262 

A Night on Righi 262 

The Bernese Alps 264 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



■ PAGE 

Switzerland — Continued. 

Berne and its Bears 264 

Bernese Women 265 

Interlaken 265 

Lake of Brienz 266 

Giesbach Cascades 267 

Ascent of the Giesbach 267 

Blue-beard's Castle 268 

The Jungfrau 269 

City of Geneva 269 

City of Lausanne 270 

Lake of Geneva 270 

Mont Blanc 270 

Burdens for the Back 271 

Hotel Mistakes 272 

Gastronomy in Europe 272 

City op London 273 

Crossing the Channel 273 

An Agreeable Sensation 274 

Up to "Lunnen" Town 274 

London and Paris 275 

Drunkards and Beggars 275 

How to See a City 275 

Stores of London 276 

Public Parks 276 

Service at Westminster 277 

Underground Railways 277 

Rambles in London 278 

Tower of London 278 

Crystal Palace 279 

Zoological Gardens 279 

The American Abroad 279 

Street Experiences 280 

Westminster Abbey 280 

Spurgeon in the Pulpit 281 

Spurgeon's Peculiarities 282 

Excursion on the Thames 284 

Houses of Parliament 285 

English Ladies' Peculiarities 286 

Peculiarities of Englishmen 286 

English Oddities 287 

Scotland 287 

City of Edinburgh 287 

Rapid Traveling 287 



PASS 

Scotland — Continued. 

Monument to Scott 288 

Nelson's Monument 288 

Edinburgh Notables 289 

Palace of Holyrood 289 

City of Glasgow 290 

Down the Clyde 291 

City of Greenock 291 

Ireland 291 

City of Belfast 291 

Trip to Galway 292 

City of Dublin 292 

Scenes on the Route 293 

Dublin Beauties 293 

Capital of Ireland 293 

Trinity College 294 

Phoenix Park 294 

Tomb of O'Connell 295 

The Irish Jingle 295 

Police of Ireland 295 

City of Cork 296 

Cove of Cork 296 

Irish Jaunting Cars 297 

Blarney Castle 297 

The Blarney Stone 298 

Groves of Blarney 298 

An Irish Race 298 

Round Towers of Ireland 298 

City of Liverpool 299 

Aspect of Liverpool 299 

Street Scenes 299 

Liverpool Docks 299 

St. George's Organ 300 

Life at Sea 301-310 

Hints to European Tourists 311 

Patience and Good Temper 311 

Firearms 311 

Clothing and Money 311 

Guides and Guide-Books 311 

Passports 311 

Railroad Travel 312 

Hotels, etc 312 

Cost of Travel 312 



EUEOPE 

VIEWED THROUGH AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



Steamship Baltimore, 
Off Southampton, 1873. 

The sight of land, after thirteen days 
of ocean travel with its monotonous 
water scenery, is most cheering and in- 
vigorating, even when, as in the present 
case, we have yet five hundred miles far- 
ther to journey to Bremen through the 
waters of the treacherous North Sea. We 
here bid adieu to a portion of the com- 
panions of our voyage, who have just 
landed at Southampton, but expect again 
to meet them a month hence at Vienna, 
which is the Mecca of Americans during 
the present season. Those, however, who 
desire to visit Northern Germany, and 
make a brief sojourn in Berlin on their 
route to Vienna, continue Avith us on our 
sea journey. 

MONOTONY OF OCEAN TRAVEL. 

Two weeks on the ocean, with but 
little more than the dull daily routine of 
gazing on the "waste of waters," and re- 
sponding four times per day to the bell 
for meals, is almost as irksome as being 
shut up in a sick-room. The days seem 
as long as weeks, and half the nights are 
spent in vain efforts to drop off into for- 
getfulness of the discomforts of the sur- 
roundings. Reading is next to impossi- 
ble, the motion of the vessel affecting the 
eye so as to make the effort anything but 
agreeable. The first three days of our 
voyage were as calm and quiet as the run 
down the Chesapeake, and everybody im- 
agined that there was nothing to dread 
for the balance of the voyage, and all was 
becoming as monotonous as a long drive 
to a funeral. A party of a half-dozen 
young Americans, who kept up a per- 
petual round of fun and frolic, were the 
only persons on board who seemed able 



to make a break in the solemn aspect of 
the passengers. 

fare on a GERMAN STEAMER, 

The passenger on a German steamer 
commences his experience in foreign life 
the moment the hawsers are cast off. He 
finds the table served and the food pre- 
pared precisely as he will find it on shore 
when he arrives at Bremerhafen. The 
tahle-dWiote, which ultimately makes the 
American long for a square home dinner, 
begins so soon as the engine is in mo- 
tion, and from that hour forward he com- 
mences his foreign experience. Perhaps 
it is as well that he should have this 
preparatory training, as there is much to 
learn, and it takes time to accustom the 
palate to foreign cooking and the tastes 
and smells of unknown dishes. Our spe- 
cimens of Young America have much 
sport over the bill of fare, and bring out 
their German dictionaries to translate 
what they term "'conundrums." It re- 
quires wine or beer to secure good diges- 
tion, and our German companions, with 
this addition, enjoy it amazingly. The 
table is just such as is suitable to healthy 
people, and not so tempting as to induce 
dyspeptics to overload their stomachs. 

EXPERIENCE OF THE SEA. 

Some men are regarded as Jonahs when 
on the sea, storm and disaster keeping 
pace with their movements. The sailor 
regards the presence of a priest or preacher 
as premonitory of a rough and stormy 
passage, and is to that extent prejudiced 
against the cloth. We have had a pretty 
extensive sea experience in various wan- 
derings, and it has always been our fortune 
to encounter favorable weather. Even 
Cape Hatteras has not been able to get up a 

9 



10 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



storm for our benefit on any of the numer- 
ous occasions of our rounding it. The 
British Channel, generally the terror of 
tourists, has always become as calm as 
the Chesapeake during our crossings, and 
the dreaded Mediterranean is bright, blue, 
and beautiful. We have encountered 
storms on land, but never on the water, 
old Neptune having invariably been kind 
and considerate. The first three days of 
our present journey on the broad Atlantic 
were marked by a bright sky, a warm 
sun, and a light rolling sea. Some of 
the passengers were a little nauseated, 
but our merry little party, male and fe- 
male, continued to enjoy the games and 
promenades on deck without the slightest 
evidence of seasickness. The chamber- 
maid had evident!}' marked the ladies of 
our party for her most careful nursing, 
and seemed astonished that they did not 
succumb with the other ladies on board. 
Tf they happened to roll themselves in 
their shawls for an afternoon siesta on 
deck, she rushed for a cup of gruel, and 
was astonished at their perverseness in 
not requiring her services. 

A CHANGE OF WEATHER. 

On the morning of the fourth day we 
rose to find our state-rooms in commotion, 
and the wash-stand and looking-glass 
making an apparent effort to come in 
violent collision, whilst our satchels and 
brushes were chasing one another around 
the flooi'. The effort "to dress amid such 
commotion was a strong test on the ca- 
pacity of the stomach to resist the de- 
mands of the troubled waters, but it was 
finally accomplished, with some misgiv- 
ings as to a continuance of the power 
of resistance. On reaching the deck we 
found a fine rolling sea, with a strong but 
favorable wind, making locomotion very 
difficult. The response to the breakfast- 
bell showed the effect of the change of 
weather upon the passengers. Out of 
twenty-six cabin passengers but ten ap- 
peared at the table, including the nine 
Amei-icans on board, and one German. 
There was not a lady present except 
the two from Baltimore, who during the 
next five days were almost the only 
representatives of the sex at the table. 
Of^ the Marylanders among the passen- 
gers but two succumbed to the prevailing 
epidemic, one of them representing Balti- 
more, and the other a worthy legal gentle- 
man hailing from the head-waters of 
canoe navigation. The Germans, on the 
contrary, with one exception, male and 
female, if they attempted to venture to 



resume their seats at the table were com- 
pelled to beat a rapid retreat, greatly to 
the amusement of those whose stomachs 
were proof against the moving dishes 
and oscillating motion of the table and 
the vessel. Persons suffering from sea- 
sickness receive but little commiseration, 
and must expect to be laughed at. When 
they recover it is amusing to listen to the 
descriptions they give of their sufferings 
and the misery of mind and body through 
which they have passed. A young friend 
from Baltimore, who was very anxious to 
be seasick, now thinks he will be com- 
pelled to spend the balance of his days in 
Europe, having serious doubts if he will 
ever have the nerve to run the risk of a 
second attack by venturing on shipboard 
again. After five days of rough weather 
we passed the Banks of Newfoundland, 
and were again in a rolling but quiet sea, 
approaching the coast of Ireland. To 
those of us who have been exempt, the 
voyage has been as pleasant as sea travel 
can be expected to be to the landsman, 
but the extent of sea-sickness on board 
has been more than the average. During 
the last four days all have been well, and 
though we have been plowing along at 
the rate of three hundred miles per day^' 
through a high rolling sea, with a fair wind, 
the ship vibrating all the time like a pen- 
dulum, it no longer has any disagreeable 
effect on the convalescents. Their brains 
and legs are attuned to the motion, and 
they can now enjoy all that is enjoyable 
on the sea. The fifty-six steerage pas- 
sengers were all sick, and for a time two 
Baltimore ladies were the only females 
on the vessel, except the chambermaids, 
who were able to appear at table or prom- 
enade the deck. We were advised by our 
German friends to drink wine and beer, 
as they did, as a preventive, but having 
stuck to cold water, we claim it as a bet- 
ter specific. 

AMUSEMENTS AT SEA. 

The amusements of the voyage depend 
a great deal upon the Aveather, and upon 
the character and disposition of the pas- 
sengers. During most of the present trip 
the weather has been too cold and the sea 
running too high for amusements on deck. 
There was also too much seasickness 
for the passengers to muster in sufficient 
force until the tenth day out, when, all 
having recovered, we had quite a spirited 
dance on deck, a youth from the steerage 
with an accordeon furnishing the music. 
Although the ship was rolling at an angle 
of twenty degrees, the dancers managed, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



11 



with an occasion.al fiill and roll, to enjoy 
themselves! until nine o'clock in the even- 
ing under a brijiht moonlight. All had 
their sea-legs fully under control, though 
so great was the rolling motion of the 
vessel that none of those who partici- 
pated in the dance could have even main- 
tained their footing on the deck a week 
ago. The Baltimore proved to be an ex- 
cellent roller, especially when encounter- 
ing the groundswell from the Irish coast. 
The only other amusement during the 
voyage has been an occasional game of 
shuffle-board; but there has been too 
much wind and rain for this, except at 
occasional intervals. The weather has 
also been decidedly cold, and the cabin 
amusements have been very limited. 

THE COAST OF ENGLAND. 

Our voyage around the southern coast 
of England, passing the great naval station 
o/Plymouth, and also the fortifications off 
Dartmouth, was through a sea as calm 
as the Chesapeake. There was scarcely 
a ripple on the ocean, and not a per- 
ceptible motion of the steamer. This 
run on the coast continued for nearly 
twenty hours before reaching Southamp- 
ton, and the quiet of the scene was very 
acceptable after the rolling and rocking we 
had gone through during the preceding ten 
days. The sun was bright, and the day 
was enjoyed on deck. Those who were 
to land at Southampton, having cast aside 
their sea clothing, were hailed as they 
appeared on deck as -new-comers. We 
had dreaded this coasting as likely to be 
rough and unpleasant, but it proved to 
be the most agreeable portion of our 
journey. All the passengers were well 
and in high spirits at the sight of land, 
and thankful that they were so rapidly ap- 
proaching the end of their journey. We 
left Southampton about seven o'clock on 
Friday evening, and had a fine vicAV of 
the fortifications near Portsmouth, which 
areveryformidable, but in this age of iron- 
clads would prove of very little service. 

The entrance to Southampton, through 
the Solent, affords a fine view of the shores 
of the Isle of Wight, which are very beau- 
tiful, dotted with villas of the nobility, 
watering-places, and a very elegant seaside 
palace of the Queen. The trees were in full 
foliage, and the fields clothed in the bright- 
est green. At seven o'clock on Saturday 
morning we passed through the Straits 
of Dover, having a fine view of Folke- 
stone and Dover, with its ancient castle 
on the hill, this being the point where 
William the Conqueror landed. In the 



dim distance, the moi-ning being bright 
and beautiful, Calais, on the coast of 
France, Avas visible, and Ave soon passed 
into the open North Sea, and were again 
out of sight of land and steaming towards 
Germany. 

THE NORTH SEA. 

The North Sea, which has a very bad 
name in the nautical calendar, Avas in its 
most lovely mood when we entered upon 
its waters. A bright and Avarm sun drew 
every one to the deck, and so quiet was 
the ocean that there was scarcely a per- 
ceptible motion of the vessel as we 
steamed along towards the mouth of the 
river Weser. During the AA'hole of the 
thirty hours consumed in crossing the 
North Sea, a distance of nearly three 
hundred miles, there was scarcely a rip- 
ple on its surface. It was more like a 
steamboat excursion on the Chesapeake 
than ocean travel. The weather was, 
hoAvever, decidedly cool as we approached 
the coast of Germany. 

CHARAIS OF THE SEA. 

NoA'elists and poets have succeeded 
in pi'oducing a very general impression 
among the uninitiated that there is some- 
thing delightful in life on the sea. De- 
pend upon it, there never Avas a greater 
delusion. The novelty Avears off very 
rapidly, and time drags sloAvly, until the 
days seem like Aveeks and the Aveeks like 
months. Some time must elapse before 
one gets accustomed to being rolled up 
and packed aAvay on a rocking and pitch- 
ing shelf all night, to the perpetual jin- 
gle of the machinery, and to the stifling 
atmosphere of a close state-room. Even 
Avhen tolerably accustomed to it, the 
hours are counted and the log Avatched 
Avith anxiety to note the number of miles 
yet to be passed before reaching the de- 
sired haven. During two-thirds of an or- 
dinary passage one must of necessity keep 
beloAv deck, even in day-time. Rain- 
storms and wind-squalls are equally pro- 
hibitory of deck enjoyment. It is next 
to impossible to read, and cabin amuse- 
ments soon become tiresome. Among the 
passengers there are ahvavs to be found 
some Avho have crossed the ocean a dozen 
times, and they are no more happy or 
contented than is the novice. So also 
Avith the officers of vessels : they are 
always looking forward to some distant 
prospect of securing land employment. 
When to all these sources of discomfort 
are added constant seasickness and nau- 
sea to the great majority, some idea may 
be formed of the amount of human suf- 



12 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



fering to be endured by the twenty thou- 
sand Americans who are now moving or 
preparing to move towards Vienna. Of 
course, nothing can be more delightful 
than to pay a visit to Europe, but the sea- 
going must not be counted among the at- 
tractions of the trip. Depend upon it, 
the most romantic of your readers will, 
with their first experience, wonder 
whether it is not possible that the poets 
and romancers of the sea were paid 
pulTers in the interest of ship-owners, or 
were laboring to secure free tickets for 
a trip across the ocean. 

CHANGE OF TIME. 

In crossing the ocean the gradual change 
of time amounts to about twenty minutes 
every two hundred and fifty miles on 
the route. In approaching Europe from 
America, to keep your watch up to ship 
time you must move the hands forward 
daily from twenty to thirty-five minutes. 
Many jokes are told of the youngsters 
who get out of all conceit of their time- 
keepers whilst on an ocean journey. Hav- 
ing kept up Baltimore time throughout 
the trip, we find just five hours and five 
minutes difference at Southampton. In 
other words, we arrived here at six min- 
utes past six o'clock this evening, whilst 
our watches record precisely one o'clock 
P.M. as Baltimore time, having made the 
journey in one hour less than thirteen 
days. 



BREMEN. 



Bremen, May 12, 1873. 
"We entered the Fatherland at Bremer- 
hafen at five o'clock last evening, and in 
two hours were at our present location, 
by a special train of cars in waiting for 
our arrival. Two weeks ago we were in 
Baltimore, and now we are in Germany, 
almost as quickly as we could reach some 
of our summer resorts by slow stages of 
travel. "We intend to have a good sum- 
mer run through Northern Europe, and 
propose to have a good time of it. Provi- 
dence and weather permitting, though at 
the present time we scarcely know whither 
we shall go or where we shall cease our 
peregrinations. 

CITY OF BREMERHAFEN. 

We had only a bird's-eye view of Bre- 
merhafen, which is the commercial entre- 
pot of Bremen, thirty miles distant, at the 



head of ship navigation on the "Weser 
River. It is a purely commercial city, of 
about twenty thousand population, with 
some fine docks, similar to those at Liver- 
pool, and an abundance of large and 
extensive warehouses. It will ultimately 
become to Germany what Liverpool is to 
England, and large numbers of new 
buildings are now being erected in all 
directions. 

The country between Bremerhafen and 
Bremen is almost like one of our Illinois 
prairies, and is nearly as barren of trees. 
The cultivation of some points on the route 
is very fine, but the most of it exhibits 
rather careless husbandry compared with 
the fields of England. One of our traveling 
companions, from Prince George's County, 
remarked that he could almost imagine 
that he was traveling through that section 
of Maryland, if it were not for the absence 
of worm-fences. There Avas an abundance 
of the Ilolstein cattle, so highly prized in 
America, grazing in the fields, reminding 
us of a commission we have from an es- 
timable lady of Baltimore to send her 
three choice heifers. 

CITY OF BREMEN. 

The city of Bremen being out of the 
usual route of German tourists, little is 
known of it, and we had always imagined 
it to be one of those cities in which trade, 
business, and commerce are the principal 
attractions. A walk before breakfast sat- 
isfied us that there are few handsomer 
cities for its size in Europe, and for clean- 
liness it will compare with the most at- 
tractive portions of Paris. In ancient 
times it was a walled city, but the ram- 
parts which sejjarated the old town from 
the suburbs have been removed and turned 
into promenades, which almost make a 
circle through the heart of the present 
city, constituting one of its principal 
ornaments. The picturesque groups of 
trees, the broad surface of the moats, 
which have been retained, forming small 
lakes, and the rich vegetation of the 
opposite bank, upon which a line of 
magnificent residences extends through 
the heart of the city, present a succession 
of striking pictures. Extensive pleasure- 
grounds, with caf^s, etc., are interspersed 
on the Weser at the upper extremity of 
the promenades. 

The private residences nearly all have 
broad gardens in front, each rivaling its 
neighbor in the display of flowers. Whole 
miles of these elegant buildings, in every 
variety of architecture, can be seen along 
the promenade, indicating great wealth 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



13 



and an appreciation of the comforts and 
pleasures of a bright and beautiful home. 
The fronts arc all decorated with lace cur- 
tains, and flowers in full bloom are abun- 
dant at the parlor windows. 

THE PEOPLE OF BREMEN. 

Bremen has a population of about one 
hundred thousand, and, next to Hamburg, 
it is the most important commercial place in 
North Germany. It is chiefly indebted for 
its present prosperity to the foundation of 
Bremerhafen, or the harbor of Bremen, 
which, although thirty miles distant, is 
regarded as a suburb of the city. It is 
visited annually by about four thousand 
vessels, of which four hundred, including 
about thirty-five sea-going steamers, are 
owned in Bremen. 

SUNDAY AT BREMEN. 

We landed in a hail-storm, which has 
followed us on to Bremen, but it did not 
prevent us from viewing the city by gas- 
light on the only Sunday evening we shall 
spend here. After partaking of a most 
delicious supper at the Hotel du Noi'd, our 
entire party started out under the guidance 
of II. Raster, Esq., editor of the Chicago 
Staats Zeitung, who, with his family, was 
one of our passengers, to see how the 
people in this ancient city spend their 
Sunday evenings. We found the stores 
generally closed, except those for the sale 
of tobacco and cigars, though many of 
them were lit up for the display of goods. 
The rain doubtless occasioned more dull- 
ness than usual out-of-doors, but the 
resorts for eating and drinking were all 
crowded to excess. 

We visited the great wine-cellar under 
the City Hall, which is a government 
establishment, with its butts of wine, the 
heads of which are twelve feet in diam- 
eter. It is an immense restaurant, and 
here were gathered fully one thousand 
gentlemen and ladies, eating their suppers 
and partaking of wine and beer. They 
have wine here of the vintage of 1624, 
which is, however, only partaken of 
by strangers as a matter of curiosity. 
We found present many of the leading 
merchants of the city, with their wives 
and daughters, each of the numerous 
tables being occupied by a party of per- 
sonal friends, all enjoying themselves, 
amid a cloud of smoke that was almost 
stifling on entering. This cellar has been 
the favorite resort of the people of Bre- 
men for several generations, many families 
taking their meals here most of the time. 
There were at the tables young men with 



their sweethearts, and old men with their 
wives, and it was pleasing to observe 
the marked order and decorum which pre- 
vailed among such a large gathering. The 
oldest of the immense casks in this cellar 
are called "The Rose" and the ''Twelve 
Apostles," the head of each being elabo- 
rately gilded and covered with inscriptions 
The magistrates are said, in ancient times, 
to have held their most important sessions 
near the spigot of the former, such delib- 
erations having been kept profoundly 
secret. 

Some of the young American portion 
of our party, at a later hour on Sunday 
night, visited the theatre, admission to see 
the last act costing ten cents, including a 
glass of beer, and at twelve o'clock stopped 
in at a billiard-saloon, which was in full 
operation. The rain having ceased about 
ten o'clock, the streets soon became 
thronged with promenaders, and up to 
midnight presented a lively appearance. 

EMIGRATION TO AMERICA. 

Bremen is the principal point for the con- 
centration of emigrants going to America. 
Throngs ofthem, consisting of men, women 
and children, such as congregate weekly 
at Castle Garden or Locust Point, can be 
seen at all hours of the day in groups 
around the shipping-offices, or wending 
their way to the depot, bound for Bre- 
merhafen, preparatory to embarkation. 
They come here from all parts of Ger- 
many, and are an entirely dififerent class 
of people from the inhabitants of Bremen, 
being mostly agriculturists. We re- 
member on visiting Dublin some years 
since to have remarked that but few spe- 
cimens of the American idea of the per- 
sonal appearance and characteristics of 
an Irishman could be seen in that city. 
The same may be said of Bremen. With 
the exception of the emigrants, there are 
few persons to be seen in this city who 
would be recognized at a glance as Ger- 
man, either in dress, manners, or facial 
expression. Indeed, it would be difiicult 
to find a finer-looking class of people any- 
where than the inhabitants of Bremen, 
or any that are more kind, courteous, and 
agreeable in their manners. The ladies 
have a healthy appearance and ruddy 
countenances, are handsome and graceful, 
and dress with excellent taste and free- 
dom from gaudy colors. Their kindness 
to Americans is most marked and general. 
On our making inquiry of persons on the 
street as to the location of different objects 
of interest, they not only took great pains 
to give the proper direction, but on more 



14 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



than one occasion accompanied us several 
squares to make sure that we did not 
get astray. 

UNDECAYED MUMMIES. 

The Cathedral, erected in the twelfth 
century, is the only interesting church of 
which Bremen can lioast. It is now a 
Protestant church, and contains the finest 
organ in Germany, Its greatest attraction 
to strangers is the exhibition of several 
mummies, the oldest having been for four 
hundred years, and the most recent for 
sixty years, in an undecayed condition. 
The vault in which they repose possesses 
the property of preventing decomposition, 
in proof of which poultry is frequently 
suspended in it, a venerable turkey, one 
hundred years old, being at the present 
time hanging on the wall. The corpses 
bear no evidence of decay as in the case of 
the Egyptian mummies, but carry on their 
countenances the appearance of recent 
death, except that the dust of ages has 
somewhat discolored them. There are 
about a dozen bodies laid out in their cof- 
fins. The flesh feels like parchment, and 
tl>e cheeks of an old countess, who has 
lain here four hundred years, look and 
feel quite plump. One is the remains of 
an English officer, shot in a duel ninety 
years ago, with a bullet-hole in his breast 
and a shattered shoulder. A corpulent 
old general is still corpulent, and a dozen 
chickens hung up ninety years ago have 
their feathers all intact. The vault in 
which they lie is about thirty feet long 
and fifteen wide, and is above-ground, in 
one of the crypts of the church. There 
is nothing peculiar about it, and there 
seems no reason why it should preserve 
bodies from decay more than any other 
room in Bremen. The exhibition of these 
curiosities gives an income to the church 
of about twenty dollars per day, and is 
quite a valuable source of revenue. It is 
not everybody who can expect to be so 
remunerative after he has given up the 
ghost. 

NEWSPAPERS AT BREMEN. 

There are two newspapers printed here, 
but nobody seems to care anything about 
them. There is not a newsboy to be seen 
on the street, and the newspaper files in 
the hotels are seldom disturbed. Visitors 
sit and drink their beer and wine, but 
seldom read. The citizens of Bremen 
are decidedly a talking people, and seem 
to take no time for reading or studying 
the current of events as recorded in the 
public prints. 



BERLIN. 

Berlin, May 14, 1873. 
We reached Berlin, the capital of Prus- 
sia, at breakfast-time on Tuesday morn- 
ing, after a long night ride from Bremen, 
passing through Hanover about two 
o'clock in the morning. Railroad travel in 
Europe is accompanied by many trials 
and annoyances that are not experienced 
in the United States, the detention and 
trouble with baggage not being the least 
of them. At Bremen our luggage was 
all examined on leaving the city, and 
then weighed, and, although nothing was 
found strictly contraband, the oflicer was 
in great doubt about the propriety of 
passing a small bundle of paper on which 
we propose to write the notes of our 
journey. On our explaining to him the 
purpose for which it was intended, it was 
allowed to pass. A box of fifty choice 
cigars was not allowed to remain in a 
trunk, but we were permitted to carry it 
in our hands, the result of which was 
that before reaching our destination it 
was lost. At Hanover we were compelled 
to change trains, having to wait over an 
hour in a reception-room crowded M'ith 
men, women, and children, on emerging 
from which the ladies of our party dis- 
covered that they had made acquaintance 
with a goodly number of those pests of 
Europe that are only to be found in dog- 
kennels on our side of the Atlantic. 

TRIALS OF TRAVEL. 

We arrived at Berlin at seven o'clock in 
the morning, the time from Bremen being 
nine hours. Quite a storm was in pro- 
gress as we reached the depot in Berlin, 
when, with our baskets, bundles, shawls, 
and valises, we were seized ujion by a 
Commissionnaire and a military-looking 
official with a spiked helmet. The said 
Commissionnaire assured us that tiiei-e was 
no Hotel de Russie in Berlin, and that the 
best hotel was the Hotel de I'Europe. Be- 
ing anxious to get located, we were packed 
in a carriage and sent off. On entering the 
hotel we came to the conclusion tliat if 
" de TEurope" was the best house in 
Berlin it had a shocking bad exterior 
appearance. We Avere shown up to cham- 
bers on the second floor, carpetless, and 
almost furnitureless, whereupon we came 
to the conclusion that the Kaiser's depot 
regulations are calculated to allow stran- 
gers to be swindled. Being in a strange 
city, and our carriage having departed, 
we concluded to make the best of a bad 
bargain, and called for breakfast, which 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



15 



we will do the proprietor the credit to say 
was palatable and well served. Leaving 
the ladies for a short time, we strolled out, 
and soon found the Hotel de Russie, and 
also the Hotel du Nord, two hrst-class 
houses, in the latter of which we secured 
quarters. The swindle cost us about five 
dollars, which we charged to '"experience," 
hoping to profit by it before we leave 
Germany. The complaint we have to 
make to the Kaiser is, that one of his 
spiked-helmet officials, when appealed to 
as to the truth of the Commissionnaire's 
story, assured us that it was all right. 

IMPRESSIONS OF BERLIN. 

Our first impressions of Berlin were 
decidedly unfavorable, though the cold 
and dismal rain-storm which has followed 
us thus far is not calculated to make any 
place look very bright and attractive. 
But Berlin is a sombre, massive city, 
lacking the bright and brilliant aspect of 
Paris. Its public buildings, although 
equal to those of any other city in Europe 
in imposing grandeur, are more solid than 
beautiful. There is no section of the city 
that is exclusively devoted to elegant stores, 
they being scattered about in every direc- 
tion, intermingled with warehouses and 
junk-shops. It is said to be the deter- 
mination of the Emperor to make Berlin 
rival Paris as the most attractive city of 
Europe, but we rather think that it will 
require rebuilding, almost, to accomplish 
the undertaking. A grand arcade has 
just been completed, running diagonally 
through two squares, similar to the mag- 
nificent establishment at Milan, which is 
quite Parisian in its beauty and propor- 
tions. 

THE ROYAL MUSEUM. 

We spent several hours to-day in the 
Royal Museum, which is a vast structure, 
to which there is no chai-ge for admittance. 
The painting-gallery is very extensive, 
but not very attractive. The pictures are 
decidedly ancient, and consequently not 
appreciated by the average American. 
There are some few paintings here that all 
can admire, though the vast majority are 
graceless and unnatural in their presenta- 
tion of the human figure. The coloring 
is, however, very rich and natural, for 
which they are mostly admired. Most of 
them, if seen anywhere else than in a 
royal gallery, would be regarded as the 
daubs of amateur artists. Ai'ound the 
few good paintings there were generally 
two or three artists busily engaged in 
making copies. 



Another portion of the Museum is de- 
voted to plaster casts of ancient sculpture, 
including copies of nearly all the great 
masterpieces to be found at Rome and 
Florence. As we had seen the originals of 
these, the copies commanded but little of 
our attention, except such as could be 
given during a leisurely stroll through the 
extensive galleries. 

THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 

We next proceeded to the Zoological 
Gardens, which are outside of the walls 
of Berlin, adjoining the grand Park. 
Here we found a collection of beasts and 
birds equal in number and extent to the 
menageries of Forepaugh, Barnum, and 
all the other traveling institutions of 
the United States combined and multi- 
plied by six. The grounds are very ex- 
tensive, and the buildings in which the 
animals are kept have been erected re- 
gardless of expense. Quite a number of 
small but beautiful lakes are filled with 
an extensive variety of aquatic birds, 
many of them of the most brilliant plum- 
age, and each species in great number. 
The aviaries are also large and fine, and 
the lions, tigers, leopards, and panthers 
embrace many fine and rare specimens. 
Take the gardens altogether, they are su- 
perior to those of London or Paris ; but 
in the latter city many of the animals 
were eaten during the siege. 

WORKING WOMEN. 

German women are undoubtedly able 
to do a man's work, and some of them do 
more in that line than most men are will- 
ing to do. The very hardest species of 
manual labor is spading ground and turn- 
ing over the sod. In the Park to-day we 
passed nearly fifty women, all strong and 
muscular, busily driving their spades 
into the earth. They worked in gangs 
of five, side by side, apparently as con- 
tented as if they had been piercing a cam- 
bric handkerchief with a needle. When 
women can perform this kind of labor, 
they are certainly on an equality with 
men in some things if not in all, and need 
no protectors. Only think of marrying a 
woman who can dig all day with a spade ! 
It would not do for most of the lords of 
creation to have such wives, or at least to 
provoke them to a trial of strength. 

LOCOMOTION IN BERLIN. 

There are no street passenger railways 
in Berlin, and there are comparatively few 
omnibuses. The population is now said 
to be nine hundred thousand, or nearly 



16 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



three times that of Baltimore. The car- 
riages, however, are very cheap and 
numerous, being of three classes, and at 
three grades of prices, first, second, and 
third class. A second-class carriage, with 
one horse, carrying four passengers, 
charges about sixty cents per hour in our 
money, the first class eighty cents, and 
the third class forty cents. The first chiss 
has two horses, and the other classes have 
one horse. 

WORKING DOGS. 

In all parts of Germany the dog is a 
beast of burden, and works with as earn- 
est a will as the horse or the mule. 
Hundreds of hand-carts can be seen mov- 
ing through the streets, with one or two 
dogs harnessed, and they never allow 
their traces to slacken. The size of the 
wagons, and the loads they pull, are truly 
surprising to those who only know the 
dog as a lazy, sleeping animal. The man 
or boy accompanying the dog merely keeps 
his hand upon the tongue of the wagon to 
steady or guide it, whilst the faithful ani- 
mal does all the work. These dogs are all 
muzzled, as they are apt to bite any stran- 
ger who approaches the wagon, especially 
during the absence of the master. Whilst 
resting anywhei'e, they lie down in their 
traces and sleep, but at a word are up 
again, and intent upon their work. They 
are of no especial breed, but all kinds, 
including the Newfoundland and the bull- 
dog, are to be seen in harness. All that 
is required is strength and muscle and 
proper training. There are very few idle 
dogs to be seen in Berlin. 

THE COST OF ROYALTY. 

The American traveling in Europe is 
astonished at the vast expenditure and 
waste of money that is required to main- 
tain royalty. There cannot be in Ger- 
many less than fifty palaces for the accom- 
modation of the royal family, each one 
of which is ten times larger than the 
President's house. None of them have 
less than one hundred rooms, and some 
of them from two hundred to three hun- 
dred, all decorated and furnished in the 
highest style of art, with picture-galleries 
and halls of statuary, whilst temples, 
fountains, monuments, and every man- 
ner of ornament adorn the surrounding 
grounds. At Potsdam, about ten miles 
from Berlin, there are five magnificent 
palaces, and there are quite a number in 
this city. They are all in charge of hosts 
of retainers, ready for the reception of 
royal visitors at a moment's notice, and 
each guarded by garrisons of soldiers 



larger than those in charge of all the for- 
tifications in the United States. However, 
the people seem to take pride in all this 
as evidence of the greatness and glory of 
their country, and if they are satisfied 
there is no reason why any one else 
should grumble about it. Everybody 
here wonders how it is possible that the 
United States is so steadily and persist- 
ently paying ofi" its national debt. It is 
no matter of wonder to us why the na- 
tions of Europe are so persistently increas- 
ing theirs. There must, however, be an 
end of all this some day. 

A STROLL THROUGH BERLIN. 

We took a long walk to-day, to the dis- 
tance of six or seven miles, away from 
the centre of Berlin, winding around 
through all sections of the business por- 
tions of the city. We found it all alike 
everywhere, fine buildings intermixed 
with ancient structures, and no one sec- 
tion much superior to another in its 
attractiveness. Stores of every variety 
and character are intermixed, and military 
barracks with bristling bayonets inter- 
spersed through all sections of the city. 
We came across an extensive market, 
occupying a whole square, upon which 
were hundreds of booths, the principal 
articles on sale being wooden ware, bas- 
kets, and brushes, with a few cake and toy 
stands. It was thronged with purchasers, 
and presented quite a stirring scene. 
These baskets and wooden-ware booths 
also extended down all the neighboring 
streets, and it seemed strange that there 
should be a demand to warrant such an 
immense exposure of such goods. 

The streets generally are broad and 
well paved, but the houses and stores by 
no means attractive, though many very 
fine buildings are in the course of erec- 
tion all over the city. But when one has 
walked two hours through the streets of 
Berlin he may conclude that he has seen 
the whole city, the characteristics of all 
sections are so similar. In most respects 
it is so like an American city that it is 
difiicult to note anything in the habits or 
ways, or even in the appearance, of the 
people, that would prove of interest to 
your readers. 

MONUMENT TO FREDERICK THE GREAT. 

Nea^the eastern extremity of the Lin- 
den, opposite the palace of the Crown 
Prince, stands the statue or monument 
of Frederick the Great. It is in bronze, 
by Rauch, and is said to be the grandest 
monument of its kind in Europe. The 



AMEEICAN SPECTACLES. 



17 



pedestal Is divided into three sections. At 
the corners of the upper are represented 
Moderation, Justice, Wisdom, Strength. 
On the sides of the monument are eight 
reliefs, — representing the birth of the 
King, his education, Minerva presenting 
him with a sword, Frederick after the bat- 
tle of Kolin, his love of art, his taste for 
music, his promotion of commerce, and 
his apotheosis. At the corners of the 
central section are four equestrian figures, 
on the east the Princes Henry of Prus- 
sia and Ferdinand of Brunswick, and on 
the west Generals Ziethen and Seydlitz. 
Around the monument are grouped life- 
sized figures of distinguished officers. 
The lower section contains names of 
other prominent men, especially soldiers 
of the time of Frederick. The monuments 
in Berlin, are not numerous, but they are 
of a superior character. 

Berlin, May 16, 1873. 

BERLIN AND ITS PEOPLE. 

Berlin improves with acquaintance, 
and the more we see of it the better we 
like it. It is, however, by no means a 
gay city. The people are neither gay 
nor merry, except on the occasion of some 
commemoration of victories in Avar, or in 
honor of the Kaiser and "Our Fi-itz." 
They are even silent over their beer and 
Schweitzer cheese, and there are no jolly 
gatherings of an evening such as can be 
nightly witnessed in the gardens and 
saloons of Baltimore. We walked sev- 
eral miles the other evening in pursuit 
of such an establishment as that of Franz 
Gardiner on High Street, and were con- 
tent to finally drop into a quiet resort in 
a basement on the Poststrasse, where there 
were a number of visitors, all as silent 
as possible, with no singing or music 
or jollity of any kind. Geinnans in 
America are an entirely different class of 
people from those in the great cities of 
the Fatherland. The most enthusiastic 
Americans I have met with here are the 
German-Americans on a visit to their old 
homes. They find fault with everything, 
and complain that the people are too slow 
and lack energy and enterprise. Mr. 
Raster, the editor of the Chicago Sfaais 
Zeitung, Avas out of patience even in the 
lively little city of Bremen. IIoav he 
has gotten along in the more staid and 
solemn cities of the interior, it is not easy 
to imagine. 

THE MILITARY DISPLAA'. 

The fact that Prussia is a military gov- 
ernment is apparent all over Berlin. 
2 



Almost one-fourth of the men to be met 
on the streets are in military dress, with 
epaulets and sAvords, and the "man Avith 
a military Avalk " is no curiosity here. 
Soldiers on guard are in and around all 
the public buildings, the police are in 
military dress, Avith spiked helmets and 
swords, the railroad officials Avear uni- 
forms, and the telegraph operators and 
boys are all arrayed in a semi-military 
costume. So also with the post-office of- 
ficials and the custodians of the public 
buildings. Regiments of soldiers march 
through the streets Avith brass bands, and 
the relief-guard parties seem to be ahvays 
in motion. The store-windoAVS are tilled 
with prints of the Kaiser Wilhclm and 
his staff, in full feather, and the minor 
military dignitaries are presented in the 
photograph establishments as the greatest 
attraction. They, however, did Avell for 
their country in the late war, and are 
deserving of all the honor they receive. 
Every man in Germany must serve in 
the army from one to three years. If he 
has passed a good examination at a mili- 
tary academy, his term of service is but 
one year, but otherwise he must serve for 
three years. Thus it Avas that there were 
no raAv recruits in the immense army 
brought so suddenly into the field to resist 
and drive back Napoleon. Every man 
was a soldier, trained and accustomed to 
the life of a soldier, under the greatest 
soldier of the age, and the most strict 
disciplinarian CA'en in times of peace. 
Fortunately, we can do Avithout such ex- 
pensive ornaments as a standing army, 
and this is the reason why so many Ger- 
mans are thronging the steamers for 
America. The number would be still 
greater if they Avere all possessed of the 
means to carry out their desire to escape 
from military service. Regiments of cav- 
alry, infantry, and artillery are parading 
the streets to-day, but they attract no 
attention from the people. The sight is 
evidently too common. 

THE BERLIN OPERA. 

The operatic spectacle, Avith an inter- 
mixture of Avhat is knoAvn in America as 
the " leg opera," called " The Loch/ in 
Tr7;?/e," has been attracting the attention 
of the Berlinese for the past one hundred 
and fifteen nights at the Grand Opera 
House, and thither Ave Avended our way 
last evening. Reserved seats for our 
party of four cost seven thalei-s and ten 
groschen, AA'hich is about one dollar and 
thirty-four cents per head. We Avent 
early, for the purpose of seeing the audi- 



18 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



ence assemble, and to notice whatever 
else might seem to us of interest. The 
ladies will be interested in knowing that 
an entirely new mode of dressing the hair 
is in vogue here, and that there seems to 
be very little false hair used. The hair 
is frizzed all over, and the back hair con- 
fined in an invisible net, W'hilst the front 
stands out in crimped confusion. On the 
tof) of the head a bow of ribbon is worn 
similar to a gentleman's neck-tie, with 
short fringed ends. All ear-rings are in- 
finitesimally small, and mostly of dia- 
monds or pearls. 

The ladies were largely in excess of the 
gentlemen, and, singular as it may seem, 
they came in without male escort, some- 
times singly, sometimes in groups of four 
or five. These independent ladies were 
mostly young, and among the best 
dressed in the house, and were without 
bonnets, as were nearly all except stran- 
gers. The inevitable brass buttons and 
shoulder-straps predominated among the 
gentlemen, and a glance in any direction 
was sure to encounter a bevy of handsome 
young patriots. 

As to the theatre itself, the interior or 
auditorium is about twice as large as 
Ford's Opera Plouse, though it would not 
seat double as many, as the single seats 
are each fully four inches wider. One- 
half the Berlinese ladies and gentlemen 
could not wedge themselves into a nar- 
rower space. The seats are automatic, 
and if you rise they fly back, so that there 
is no difficulty in persons passing to in- 
terior seats, the rule being to rise. You 
are almost required to leave your hats, 
coats, canes, etc., outside with the cus- 
todians. Most Americans object to this, 
however, having a vivid recollection of 
ball-room scenes at home, and of missing 
coats, hats, bonnets, and furs. People 
here wonder why they refuse. Perhaps 
it would not be well to inform them. 

The Opera House is a very grand afi'air, 
elaborately decorated with statuary, 
paintings, and rich carving. Next to 
the stage come what we would call the 
stage-boxes, only, instead of there being 
but three on each side, there are, in- 
cluding the top boxes, twelve on each 
side, or twenty-four stage boxes in all. 
The remainder of the house is divided 
into five tiers, including the parquet. 
The royal box is circular, very elegant, 
and elaboi'ately decorated, and is capable 
of seating at royal ease about twenty- 
five persons. The height of the box 
is that of the three lower tiers, and 
the canopy at the top is surmounted 



by the crown and other royal insignia. 
No one enters this box without the royal 
sanction, and, with the exception of a 
lady sitting alone throughout the per- 
formance, it was entirely empty. The 
parquet was full, most of the seats in 
the five tiers of stalls occupied, and the 
stage-boxes about one-third full. The 
upper tier, or what in American par- 
lance is styled "the peanut-gallery," 
was thronged with very respectable peo- 
ple, mostly ladies. The performance was 
very good, and the piece was presented 
on the stage in grand style. The orches- 
tra consisted of forty-four j^erformers, 
and the chorus and villagers on the 
stage numbered fully one hundred. The 
scenery was perfect, and was evidently 
gotten up by the hand of a master. In- 
stead of flies, the side scenes were solid, 
giving the sides of the room or castle 
chamber to be represented ; so also Avith 
the ceiling, presenting the appearance of 
a closed room on all sides except that to- 
wards the auditorium. The rural scenery 
was equally artistic and natural in its 
perfection. 

THE BERLIN HOTELS. 

The best hotels in Berlin are about equal 
to those of the second and third class in 
Paris. Indeed, they are not so good here 
as at Bremen, nor are the accommoda- 
tions or the table so good, whilst prices 
are considerably higher. Such a thing 
as an elevator is not known, nor are there 
any public parlors for the accommodation 
of guests. Hence it is that strangers, 
and especially Americans, make but a 
brief stay in Berlin and hurry on to Dres- 
den, where the accommodations and at- 
tractions are said to be much better. The 
tahle-dliote comprises a variety of inex- 
plicable dishes, potatoes being about the 
only thing that is recognizable. One hour 
and a half is the shortest time required 
for this daily nuisance, and we have come 
to the conclusion that life is entirely too 
short to be thus wasted on unsatisfac- 
tory dinners. The Germans and the 
English seem, however, to enjoy them, 
.and remain at the table a half-hour after 
the Americans have retired, smoking, and 
munching raisins and nuts. The ladies 
like it as an opportunity for the display 
of rich toilettes and diamonds, and a 
means of killing time. Gentlemen who 
are traveling with ladies are usually com- 
pelled to submit to the infliction rather 
than to forage among the restaurants. 

The principal street in Berlin, on which 
most 01 the public buildings and hotels 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



19 



are located, is Unter den Linden, — a dou- 
ble row of lime-trees and a promenade 
adorning the centre of it. The number 
of fine stores upon it is. however, ex- 
tremely limited : and it possesses but little 
more attraction for the stranger than any 
other street. 

Immediately outside the Brandenburg 
Gate is the Thiergarten, a magnificent 
park, shaded by fine old trees, two miles 
in length and half a mile in breadth. For 
two miles on each side of the park there 
is an array of the most magnificent pala- 
tial residences, the extensive gardens 
around which are adorned with statuary 
and fountains and brilliant with flowers 
and ornamental trees. 



DRESDEN. 



Dresden, May 16, 1873. 
"We left Berlin at noon to-day, and at 
five o'clock this afternoon were drivif^g 
through the city of Dresden, the favorite 
city of Saxony for American residents. 
There are said to be a large numlier of 
American families permanently located 
here, the object being the education of 
their children, though P^nglish is so gen- 
erally spoken that it is beginning to be 
difficult for them to learn German. Some 
families who came here to teach their 
boys and girls to speak German have 
been compelled to change their location 
to the interior on that account. 

SCENES ON THE ROUTE. 

The country through which we passed 
on our route from Berlin was mostly 
rough and poorly cultivated, the land 
being thin and sandy, and at times the 
road was lined with jjine forests, similar 
to those in North Carolina, the trees 
bearing marks of having been tapped for 
turpentine. At other points the country 
was as rough and barren as the worst 
portions of that on the railroad between 
Baltimore and Washington. We saw no 
one working in the fields except women, 
who were handling the hoe and spade. 
Scarcely a fence was to be seen for the 
whole hundred miles, this being an ex- 
pense that is not known to European 
fai'mers. When they let their cattle out 
to graze, they have a man or boy to watch 
them, which is much cheaper than the 
labor and expense of keeping up fences. 

MASCULINE KISSES. 

We were much amused at many of the 
stations on the road to see great, rough- 



bearded men kissing each other at parting 
or meeting. They would first salute each 
other on the cheeks, and then bring their 
lips together. It seemed to the gentlemen 
spectators a burlesque on kissing, whilst 
the ladies declined to express any opinion 
on the subject, but it may be presumed 
that they regarded it as about on the same 
level as a matter of enjoyment with the 
practice of kissing each other whenever 
they meet or part. 

FIRST-CLASS TRAVEL. 

In Germany nobody but " princes, 
fools, and Americans" travels in first-class 
cars, the principal difference between the 
first- and the second-class car being that 
one is upholstered with velvet and the 
other with cloth. Any one who gets in 
a first-class car is regarded by the people 
on the platform as an object of curiosity, 
and so at all the stopping-places on the 
road ; no one looks at second-class pas- 
sengers, whilst the first-class are stared at 
as being either " princes, fools, or Ameri- 
cans." One of our party, being a novice 
in European travel, desired to test the dif- 
ference in the cars, so we to-day traveled 
first-class to Dresden. We had scarcely 
got seated before we heard ourselves 
spoken of as " rich Americans," and the 
attendant who came to examine our 
tickets saluted us with, " Will your 
honors please show me your tickets?" 
When traveling second-class, an official 
jerks open the door and exclaims, " Tick- 
ets!" without even adding the American 
salutation of " gentlemen" to it. There 
is, however, an advantage in traveling 
" first-class" that is sometimes worth the 
additional cost, especially at night. There 
are so very few who take first-class cars, 
that a party of tliree or four are sure to 
have the entire section to themselves, and 
not be annoyed by strangers intruding 
and crowding upon them at every station. 
The ladies of the party can then lie down 
and sleep as comfortably as if in a sleep- 
ing-car. The additional cost is about 
one-fourth more than second-class fare. 
The fare from Berlin to Dresden is, in 
American money, as follows: first-class, 
$4.00; second-class, $2.64; third-class, 
$1.75, the latter being plain board seats 
without any kind of upholstering. The 
distance is about one hundred and thirty 
miles, so that " first-class" is only about 
the same as the American rate of travel. 

BEER-DRINKING. 

Everybody in Germany drinks beer, if; 
being part of the daily food, as much so 



20 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



as coffee is In America. Mothers wean their 
infants on beer, and tliey are brought up 
accustomed to drink it as freely as water. 
At all the stations on the road an oppor- 
tunity is given to the passengers to secure 
a supply, and it is more easily obtained 
than water, and almost as cheap. The Ger- 
mans attribute the absence of dyspepsia to 
beer, and jioint to the rosy cheeks of their 
daughters as the result of this wholesome 
beverage. Our party are all giving it a 
fair trial, and hope to return home with a 
new lease of life and health. With all 
due respect to our American brewers, we 
do not think that any of them come up 
to the quality of the German article, 
which is of a bright and clear amber 
color and sparkles under a heavy froth. 
The taste for it is an acquired one, and 
we are all getting quite accustomed to its 
use. It seems to be free from all intoxi- 
cating effects, and if it proves a cure for 
dyspepsia, as is claimed by our German 
friends, it will do much more than the 
doctors have been able to accomplish in 
most cases of the kind. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF DRESDEN. 

We had no sooner secured our rooms 
at the Victoria Hotel than we started out 
for a promenade through the main thor- 
oughfares of Dresden. We found it to 
be a much more Kvely and stirring city 
than Berlin, the streets being so densely 
thronged that it was difficult to make our 
way through them. The population is 
nearly two hundred thousand, and the 
city is divided by the river Elbe, one side 
being called the old town, and the side 
upon which we are located the new town. 
The houses of the new town are gener- 
ally five stories high, and are very simi- 
lar in their appearance and construction 
to those on the boulevards of Paris. The 
streets are mostly broad, and beautiful 
little squares with fountains are thickly 
interspersed. The stores ai'e quite ele- 
gant, and make a fine display of all 
kinds of rich and rare goods. A city 
passenger railway, the first, we believe, in 
Germany, has just been completed, and 
the cars are running through the city. 
They are of the large double-deck species, 
— the top seats being for the accommoda- 
tion of smokers. 

The number of English and Americans 
we encountered on the streets was truly 
surprising. We could hear boys calling 
to each other, girls chatting on the street- 
corners, and misses simpering along with 
their beaux, all speaking good and plain 
English. 



PRUSSIAN MONEY. 

An American traveling in Germany 
longs for a return to his native greenbacks 
and paper currency. The confusion of 
money growing out of the union of Ger- 
many is almost inexplicable, and when 
making a purchase you are tempted at 
times to hold out a handful of ragged 
coin and let the seller help himself. An- 
other mode is to commence dropping the 
smallest coin into the outstretched hand, 
and stop as soon as the countenance of the 
receiver indicates satisfaction. The silver 
and copper coins are innumerable, com- 
mencing with a thaler and going down to 
a pfennige, one hundred and sixty of 
which are equal to an American dollar. 
They are also of a dozen different styles 
of coinage, all, probably, as plain as a 
pike-staff to a native, but a monstrous 
puzzle to strangers. Prussian money is, 
however, good all over Europe, and we 
learn that Prussian paper money com- 
mands a heavy premium in Austria. In 
Europe, nothing more clearly proves the 
power of a government than the value of 
its money across the border; and Prussia 
is to-day the recognized master of Europe, 
both in strength and brains. 

IJIPRESSIONS OF DRESDEN. 

Our first impressions of Dresden have 
been more than realized by a five-hour 
drive through all its thoroughfares and 
suburbs, and we do not wonder at its 
being selected as the favorite resort for 
Americans residing in Europe. It is very 
much like beautiful little Bremen, though 
on a larger scale and more magnificent 
in its attractions. The ancient city of 
Dresden was inclosed by a wall and moat, 
the site of which now forms a magnificent 
promenade, extending through the heart 
of the present city. Extensive palatial 
residences, surrounded by flower-gardens, 
statuary, and fountains, border this grand 
public squai-e, which, to-day being bright 
and beautiful, is now thronged with people 
and blooming with flowers. The whole 
city has a gay and lively appearance, and 
the display of the stores far exceeds that 
of Berlin. The hotels are also better, 
and that in which we are stopping, the 
Victoria, as well as the Bellevue and the 
Saxe, would do credit to Paris. We are 
in what is called the English quarter of 
the city, the houses in all directions being 
occupied by English and American fami- 
lies. Each floor has its separate family, 
like the houses in Paris. The houses are 
very large, being five and six stories high. 
A family can live here in good style for al- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



21 



most one-hfilf what it would cost eitliei* 
in London or the United States. 

THE GREEN VAULT. 

One of the greatest curiosities here is 
the "Green Vault," consisting of eight 
rooms in the palace, so named from the 
color of their original decorations. It 
contains one of the most valuable collec- 
tions of curiosities, rare works of art, 
jewels, etc., in the world, the contents of 
one of the rooms alone being valued at 
fifteen million dollars. The immense 
wealth accumulated in the Green Vaults is 
attributed to the fact that the Saxon 
princes were formerly the richest mon- 
archs in Europe. Most of their Avealth 
was derived from the Friedburg silver- 
mines, which, previous to the discovery 
of America, Avere the richest in the world. 
Much of the proceeds of the mines they 
expended in the ornamentation of jcAvels 
and works of art. It is impossible for me 
to mention in detail the numerous works 
of art which fill up these eight large cham- 
bers. As to the value of the contents of 
the difierent rooms, it may safely be 
set at eighty million dollars. The first 
room is filled Avith magnificent bronzes, 
the second Avith works and ornaments 
of all kinds carved in ivory, the third 
with mosaics principally, in Avhich dia- 
monds and precious stones arc inserted 
in the most lavish profusion ; in the fourth 
room is all the Court plate, in Avhich are 
also diamonds and precious stones; in the 
fifth room are various articles of ornament, 
including a number of jcAvel-boxes orna- 
mented with rubies and diamonds; in the 
sixth room are magnificent jewels, carved 
ivory and ebony, curious caricatures, etc. 
In the seventh room are the regalia of Au- 
gustus II., King of Poland, carvings in 
wood, of the Resurrection, Descent from 
the Cross, the Archangel Michael's con- 
test with Satan, also tAA'O little pieces in 
wax. The eighth room greatly surpasses 
all the others in the costly splendor of 
its contents, consisting of diamonds, 
crowns, sceptres, chains, and collars, Or- 
ders of the Garter, the Golden Fleece, and 
the Poland Eagle ; coat-buttons, all dia- 
monds of the purest Avater, weighing 
from forty to fifty carats. All the gala 
ornaments of the Elector of Saxony, con- 
sisting of his coat-buttons, A^est-buttons, 
sword-belt, scabbard, and collar, ai*e set 
with diamonds. There are also several 
magnificent rings, tAvo of Avhich belonged 
to Martin Luther. 

There are thousands of rare and curi- 
ous articles in these rooms, every one of 



which is worthy of close and critical ex- 
amination. The cost of admission for 
from one to four persons is one thaler 
and ten groschen, or about ninety-six 
cents in our money. There Avere about 
fifty visitors at the time of our visit. 

DRESDEN BA' GAS-LIGHT. 

In a European city, thei*e is no night 
in the week like Saturday night to 
take a general survey of gas-light scenes. 
We accordingly, after supper last even- 
ing, took an extended stroll over the city, 
finding ourselves at ten o'clock in the 
suburbs, amidst a tangle of streets 
through A\diich Ave Avended our Avay, hop- 
ing soon to strike upon some thorough- 
fixre that Ave Avould recognize. We Avere 
finally compelled to employ an express- 
man to guide us back to our hotel, Avhich 
we reaclied in good order and condition, 
though rather tired, considering that we 
had been roaming and riding, and per- 
ambulating palaces and vaults and gar- 
dens, all day long. 

Dresden at night is almost as lively as 
Paris. The streets everywhere Avere 
thronged with men, women, and children, 
and the restaurants well filled Avith cus- 
tomers, sipping their beer and eating 
their ScliAveitzer cheese in as merry a mood 
as possible. There was no music, how- 
ever, as in our beer-gardens; indeed, Ave 
have not heard a band of music in Ger- 
many, unless in attendance on a company 
or regiment of military. At the great 
restaurant near the bridge, on the banks 
of the Elbe, there Avere hundreds of 
visitors, all enjoying themselves in com- 
parative- quiet. The stores were nearly 
all closed at dusk, and the work of clean- 
ing the streets everywhere progressing, 
Avhich appears to be done principally by 
the people in front of thejr own doors. 
The students, A\'ith their red caps, were 
promenading with the girls and studying 
German as Avell as German character and 
habits at the same time, under most agree- 
able circumstances. 

The Brlihl Terrace, rising on the bank 
of the Elbe, approached by a broad and 
handsome flight of stone steps near the 
old bridge, is the most popular prome- 
nade, and presents a fine view of the 
river and the city. This was crowded 
with promenaders, and, being brilliantly 
illuminated with gas-jets, presented quite 
an interesting scene. The boats on the 
river and the lights on the long stone 
bridge, with its ceaseless throng of travel, 
presented a stirring scene from the 
Terrace. 



EVROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



DRESS OF THE PEOPLE. 

If the prediction of General Grant that 
the English language is likely to become 
the language of the world is rather prob- 
lematical, there is no doubt of the fact 
that the English and American style of 
dress is already universal throughout 
Christendom. On this bright Sunday 
morning, as we look out upon the thronged 
streets of Dresden, so iur as the dress 
and manner of the people are concerned, 
were it not for the fine and cleanly 
Belgian pavements, we might imagine 
ourselves gazing on the streets of Bal- 
timore or any other American city. The 
people are dressed precisely in every 
respect as they are with us, excepting, 
perhaps, that the gentlemen, or at least 
some of them, sport broader brims to 
their hats. The ladies are all attired pre- 
cisely as those of Baltimore are, and the 
array of bright and light spring bonnets 
would do credit to Charles Street or 
Broadway. At the Dresden Cathedral 
this morning there was as fine an array of 
handsomely-dressed ladies as was doubt- 
less to be seen at the Baltimore Cathedral, 
or at Mount Vernon or St. Luke's. The 
only diiference to be observed here is the 
vast number of men in military dress, 
who are swarming all over the city, gen- 
erally fine-looking youths, dragged from 
the walks of private life to learn the art 
of soldiering. 

SUNDAY IN DRESDEN. 

Precisely at eight o'clock this moi-ning 
all the church-bells in the city sent forth 
their sonorous announcements, and on 
looking out we found the people in com- 
motion, in their best Sundaj^ attire, mov- 
ing towards the churches, whilst all the 
carriages in the city appeared to be in 
procession, filled with men, women, and 
children, heading towards the country, 
evidently on picnic enjoyment intent. 
The stores were all closed, and all out-of- 
doors presented as quiet a Sabbath aspect 
as it doubtless did in Baltimore. A Sab- 
bath morning in Germany is as quiet 
and impressive as in more strait-laced 
sections of the world, but after two o'clock 
the devotions of the day cease, and pleas- 
ure and enjoyment assume full sway. 
It is the day in Dresden for social calls, 
friendly reunions, family entertainment, 
and not only a day of rest, but of freedom 
for both the mind and body from the 
labors of the week. The streets soon be- 
came thronged with husbands, wives, and 
children, beaux and belles, the old and 
the young, all in commotion. The grand 



promenade is packed with people, the 
bridges are crowded with citizens passing 
from one side of the city to the other, and 
the " Restaurations" attract and refresh 
the weary, or furnish the usual evening 
meal of Schweitzer cheese, bread, and 
beer. Very few Gerjnans take any regular 
meal after dinner, depending entirely on 
this evening lunch. 

The stores, with the exception of those 
for the sale of cigars, cakes, and eatables, 
were closed, and the day was generally 
observed as one of rest and devotion, 
the amusements and recreations being 
of the most innocent character. The 
churches wei-e all largely attended in the 
morning, and the immense cathedral was 
literally packed with people. High mass 
w<is celel)rated at eleven o'clock, accom- 
panied by grand music, both vocal and 
instrumental. In addition to the im- 
mense organ, there w'as a band of forty 
performers on brass and string instru- 
ments, and a large choir of singers, in- 
cluding some fine solo voices, both male 
and female. All the strangers in the 
city appeared to have congregated here, to 
listen to the music, and most of them had 
to stand throughout the entire ceremony. 
Tlie cathedral is nearly as large as that 
of Baltimore, and the music sounded 
grand throughout its vaulted ceilings. 

On Sunday afternoon and evening the 
favorite place of resort appeared to be the 
Zoological Garden, which was thronged 
with visitors. Many brought their 
lunch with them, whilst others took 
their evening meal at the restaurant in 
the Garden. Whole families seemed to 
move together, and were joyous and 
happy, doubtless having attended their 
churches in the morning. 

OLD CHURCHES. 

It is a notable fact that in Italy there 
is scarcely a church to be seen that does 
not bear evidence of having been built at 
least two hundred years ago, and very 
few which those who came after the 
builders have thought it worth while to 
keep in decent repair. We were not pre- 
pared to look for a similar state of affairs 
in Germany, but we have yet to see a 
church, either in Beidin or Dresden, that 
does not bear the impress of centuries. 
Even the churches and chapels along the 
road in the rural districts have the same 
mark of antiquity. Fortunately, or un- 
fortunately, our ancestoi's did not build 
churches, or we might not have taken so 
much interest as Ave have in this and 
other kindred improvements. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



23 



THE Z\yiNGER PALACE. 

We put off until to-day our visit to the 
famous picture-gallery of the Zwinger 
Palace, as a place, to us, of minor at- 
traction. Those who have traveled much 
in Europe get heartily tired of picture- 
galleries, though it is regarded as fash- 
ionable to gaze and admire, and pretend 
to appreciate them, whether you can 
heartily do so or not. We decidedly ob- 
ject to straining our necks in staring up 
at frescoed ceilings and endeavoring to 
unravel the meaning of the painter in 
grouping together hundreds of allegorical 
figures of men and angels. Mark Twain 
expressed the honest convictions of two- 
thirds of those who pretend to admire and 
enjoy ancient paintings, with their alle- 
gorical figures and uncertain meaning. 

The picture-gallery of the Zwinger 
Palace, and the museums contained in 
this immense structure, are great attrac- 
tions. The collection of paintings is the 
finest on this side of the Alps, consisting 
of two thousand three hundred pictures, 
filling the walls of forty-five separate 
rooms. There are quite a number of the 
exquisite works of Raphael in the collec- 
tion, the most important of which is the 
Sistine Madonna, around which there are 
always several artists busily employed 
making copies. It represents the Virgin 
and Child in clouds, with St. Sixtus and 
St. Barbara and two cherubs beneath. 
It was purchased in 1753 for forty-five 
thousand dollars. 

The Museum of Engi-avings and Casts 
in the same palace is also very interest- 
ing, but the Ilistorical Museum, contained 
in the western wing of the palace, is the 
most instructive, far exceeding in extent 
and attraction the museum in the Tower 
of London. The first hall contains a col- 
lection of curious antique furniture, with 
Luther's cabinet, beer-goblet, and sword. 
The second room is filled with ancient 
apparatus, spears, cross-bows, and other 
implements of the chase in use a thou- 
sand years ago, with the hunting-horn of 
Heni-y IV. of France. The third room 
is the Tournament Hall, in which are an 
immense number of richly decorated suits 
of armor arranged on horseback, with 
elaborately decorated shields and helmets. 
The fourth is the Battle Saloon, contain- 
int; the armor and weapons used by the 
distinguished kings and generals in 
famous battles three hundred years ago, 
and numerous trophies of the battles with 
the Turks and Saracens. There are five 
other rooms, containing embroidered and 



ornamented trappings for horses, deco- 
rated with a great variety of precious 
stones, and some literally covered with 
diamonds and sapphires ; also an immense 
number of Turkish swords, the scabbards 
and hilts of which are covered with pre- 
cious stones, together with the elaborately 
worked Turkish tent of Kara Mustapha, 
captured at the siege of Vienna, and a 
vast collection of Turkish and Oi-iental 
weapons. 

SUND.-VY ON THE ELBE. 

Sunday, when the weather is clear and 
bright, as it was yesterday, is a great day 
on the i-iver Elbe. The steamboats leave 
every hour during the morning, thronged 
with men, women, and children, for the* 
various gardens on the river a few miles 
above the city. Many carry with them 
baskets of refreshments, and make family 
picnics in the woods, getting their supply 
of beer from the restaurants. Between 
seven and eight o'clock in the evening the 
boats commence to return, loaded down 
with the excursionists, and during the 
hour we spent on the promenade last even- 
ing, not less than from eight to ten thou- 
sand were landed on the banks of the 
river just below us. They were joyful 
and happy, and we did not see one that 
appeared the least intoxicated. We have 
yet to see the first drunken man in Ger- 
many, or one that was even boisterous or 
noisy from the effect of liquor. Indeed, 
the people are singularly taciturn and 
quiet, much more so than are the Ger- 
mans in America. Everybody appears 
to be comfortable, well fed, clothed, and 
contented, but a loud voice or a hearty 
laugh is seldom heard on the street. 
Neither have we met with any beggars 
in Germany, nor any one who bore the 
slightest appearance of destitution. 

EUROPEAN HOUSES. 

As many of those who build houses, as 
well as those who live in them, do not un- 
derstand the style of dwelling-houses now 
in general vogue in all large European 
cities, we will endeavor to describe one of 
them now in course of erection directly 
in front of our hotel window. In this 
case the builder has a front on the main 
street of about one hundred and forty 
feet, sufficient to accommodate seven 
houses on the ordinary Baltimore style. 
He, however, builds but one house, with a 
court entrance in the centre, and eight 
stores below. The upper portion of the 
house, to the height of five stories, is 
completed with all the requirements for 
two or more families on each floor, and 



24 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



each story will have from four to eight good 
rooms, four of which will front on this 
street. The upper story is generally com- 
pleted so as to accommodate four families, 
each being given smaller accommodations. 
In the rear of the centre stores on the first 
floor two sets of staircases pass u]), one 
for servants and the other for tenants and 
visitors. An old woman or man is also 
provided with quarters on this floor, who 
is called the porter, and is always on hand 
to answer all questions as to who live 
there, whether the}^ are in or out, what 
floor they live on, and also to do little 
chores of various kinds for the tenants. 
Each suite of rooms is complete and inde- 
pendent in its accommodations of all 
kinds, and we have been assured that the 
families are just as much separated from 
each other as if they lived in separate 
houses. There are elevators for the hoist- 
ing of wood and coal to the difl'erent sto- 
ries, which must of course be obtained in 
small quantities. We have had occasion 
to enter several of these houses at times, 
and always found the general staircase 
clean and in good order, finely carpeted 
and cared for at the expense of all the 
inmates. They are preferred to the old 
style of separate houses, as affording bet- 
ter accommodations and an opportunity 
to make a better appearance for a small 
outlay. 

All the houses now building inside the 
city of Dresden are in this style, and they 
are occupied as fast as built. The one to 
which we allude, opposite our hotel win- 
dow, is not yet completed, but most of the 
stores, and the three upper stories, are oc- 
cupied, the windows being handsomely 
decorated with lace curtains and every 
evidence of comfort and refined taste. 

THE JEHUS OF DRESDEN. 

The carriage fare in Dresden is exceed- 
ingly moderate, and any attempt on the 
part of drivers to impose upon stran- 
gers by overcharging is a penal ofiense. 
If you do not understand the currency, 
you can hold out a handful of coin to the 
driver, with the assurance that he will not 
take more than the law allows. He 
will even Avatch to see that no one else 
cheats you if you should stop to purchase 
anything. Give him an occasional glass 
of beer, and he is intensely happy. The 
legal charge for a horse and carriage jaer 
hour is two marcs, or forty-eight cents. 
They carry four passengers, being twelve 
cents each per hour. For a two-horse 
carriage the charge is one thaler, or sev- 
enty-two cents, per hour. 



PET SPARROWS. 

The birds in Germany, es])ccially in 
the cities, are the pets of the people. The 
little sparrows are to be met with every- 
where, and so gentle and tame that they 
will almost eat out of your hand. In the 
promenades and parks they hop around 
your feet and eat crumbs thrown to them. 
They protect the trees and shrubbery 
from worms, and in the public grounds 
afibrd so much enjo3^ment to the people 
that they are treated with special favor. 
Even the children never disturb them, 
but are taught to carry crumljs in their 
pockets to feed them ; and in winter they 
are not allowed to suffer for food. In 
building a house, provision is made for 
the nests of the sparrows, little boxes be- 
ing inserted at intervals among the tiles 
on the roof. 

THE PARK OF DRESDEN. 

We discovered during our extensive 
drive in the suburbs of Dresden that the 
city has a very beautiful park on its east- 
ern boundary, near the Zoological Garden. 
It is laid out very handsomely, and is 
adorned with quite a number of pieces of 
fine statuary, lakes, etc., and has in it the 
Museum of Natural History and other 
public institutions. We passed a number 
of family parties spending the day in the 
woods. Beyond the park are a large num- 
ber of elegant private residences, located 
in a beautiful region of country, and sur- 
rounded by gardens and every evidence 
of luxury and cultivated taste. 

MARKET-PLACES. 

There are no market-houses either in 
Bei'lin or Dresden. The market-place is 
invariably a well-paved square in a, cen- 
tral location, upon which the vendors 
have tables, or have erected small booths, 
from which they sell their wares. There 
appear to be no regular meat-markets, 
meat being sold from provision stores 
which are scattered all over the city. In- 
deed, most of the l)00ths at the market- 
places are for the sale of fruits, vegeta))les, 
toys, candies, cakes, and notions of variou.s 
kinds. As about two-thirds of the peo- 
ple take their meals at restaurants, the 
amount of family marketing is compara- 
tively small. At the hotels half a hun- 
dred persons are fed, through the table- 
cfhote system, on what would be cooked 
in America for a family of ten persons, 
and when dinner is over there is nothing 
left but the bones. They count their 
guests, and cook just enough to go around 
sparingly. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



25 



THE CITY PASSENGER RAILWAY. 

After leaving the Historical Museum 
this mornint;, our party took seats on the 
top of a two-story railway car, and paid 
our passage, equal to six cents, to the end 
of the route, which we found to bq the 
village of Blasewitz, about six miles from 
the city, on the banks of the Elbe. 
Steamers to and from the city stop there 
every hour, as at numerous stopping- 
places on both banks of the Elbe, which, 
for beauty of scenery and magnificence 
of country residences on its banks, rivals 
the famous Rhine. The suburban resi- 
dences on our route were truly beautiful, 
and scores of new and extensive villas 
were being erected along the line of the 
road, which is a new institution in Dres- 
den, having recently commenced running. 
It has but one track, and inside the city 
limits does not stop for passengers except 
at the turning-out places, where the cars 
pass each other. Men with flags and 
whistles care stationed at all the corners, 
and at other points on the route, to warn 
off carriages, and the speed at which they 
run cannot be less than six miles per 
hour. There is a conductor, besides the 
driver, on each car, who takes up the 
money and gives the passengers tickets, 
and detectives jump on occasionally to 
see that each passenger has a ticket. 

The village of Blasewitz, at which we 
stopped, is a congregation of beer-gar- 
dens, being one of the numerous places of 
a similar kind on the banks of the Elbe, 
from which we noticed the return of so 
many thousands of people on the boats on 
Sunday evening. 



AUSTRIA. 
THE CITY OF VIENNA. 

Vi'NNA, May 20, 1873. 
ENTRY INTO AUSTRIA. 

We entered the dominions of Francis 
Joseph, Emperor of Austria, at midnight, 
and found his officials on the border, in 
the matter of examining luggage, very 
gentlemanly fellows, who, on being as- 
sured that we were on a pleasure- trip, 
did not require us to open our trunks. 
At daybreak we were passing through a 
most desolate region of country, abound- 
ing in pine forests, with very little culti- 
vation. As we sped on towards Vienna 
there was a marked improvement in the 



land, and for the next two hundred miles 
the agricultural display was very fine, the 
principal crops -being wheat, rye, and 
timothy. The houses of the tillers of the 
land are generally grouped together, 
forming small towns, which are scattered 
along the road, some very pretty, from 
each of which the steeple of a church is 
visible. Along the turnpike, which passes 
near the railroad, the marks of a Ilou)an 
Catholic country were everywhere visible, 
at about every mile there l;)eing a shrine 
erected, with numerous crosses, having on 
them a representation of the crucifixion. 
As we approached Vienna some splendid 
country villas lined the road, and at 
twenty minutes past nine o'clock we 
crossed the Danube and reached the depot 
on time, having come through from Dres- 
den, a distance of three hundred and sev- 
enty-five miles, in thirteen hours. We' 
were fortunate in having friends to meet 
us at the depot. Dr. S. L. Franck, of Bal- 
timore, and his estimable lady, daughter 
of Wm. S. Rayner, Esq., who have been re- 
siding in Vienna for the past year. They 
relieved us from all the annoyances that 
befall strangers on entering a city where 
the people are all stark mad with the Ex- 
position fe^er. We found the same kind 
friends had secured rooms for us at the 
Hotel Austria, in which we were soon 
comfortably domiciled. 

VIENNA, THE BEAUTIFUL. 

This is the only city of Europe which 
attempts to rival Paris ; and our first 
glance at its attractions, and at the vast 
improvements that are in progress, war- 
rants the belief that it will soon be nearly 
its equal. Everything is on a grand scale, 
and the vast array of new buildings Avhich 
have been erected in anticipation of the 
Exposition makes a grand architectural 
display through the heart of the city. 
Sites have also been selected for a new 
Parliament House, a Museum of Art, and 
a Historical Museum, in the vicinity of 
the palaces. The hotels are also on an 
extensive scale, several of which, includ- 
ing the Hotel Austria, in which we have 
taken quarters, are entirely new, and are 
on the style of the Grand Hotel at Paris. 
The new luiildings on the Ringstrasse are 
all from'five to six stories in height, and 
are magnificent in their architectural fin- 
ish. They each occupy a whole block, 
and are superior to any of the private 
buildings in Paris. In every direction 
other buildings of the same class are in 
course of erection, crowded with work- 
men and workwomen. The palaces of 



26 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



the numerous Grand Dukes, of whom 
Austria has a host, are all as large and 
more ornamental than . the President's 
house, and display their architectural 
beauties in all portions of the fashionable 
sections of the city. In fact, Vienna 
already exceeds Paris in the variety and 
superiority of its architectural decora- 
tions, every style of art Ijeing adopted 
here, whilst tliere is a painful sameness 
observable in Paris. We yesterday passed 
a new beer-saloon, larger and more ele- 
gant and elaborate in its architectural 
display than the Peabody Institute. They 
are, however, of plastic, in imitation of 
stone, but present a solid and massive 
front. f 

WORKING WOMEN. 

We have before alluded to the fact that 
women perform the hardest kind of labor- 
ing-work in Germany, but were not pre- 
pared for the sights we have witnessed 
to-day in Vienna. In America mixing 
mortar and carrying the hod is considered 
such hard work that few white men can 
be found willing to undertake it. An 
immense building near our hotel, occupy- 
ing a whole block, is in course of erection, 
on which not less than four hundred per- 
sons are employed, fully three hundred of 
whom are women. All the hard laboring 
work is done by women, such as making 
and carrying mortar in buckets on their 
heads to the workmen, and handling the 
brick. They are not allowed a moment's 
leisure, several overseers being on guard 
to keep them constantly in motion. We 
found the same proportion of women at 
work on all the new buildings, and there 
must be many thousands of them to-day 
doing this species of laboring w^ork in 
Vienna. They comprise young, middle- 
aged, and old, but all seem to be strong 
and healthy. At dinner-time they swarm 
into the shops to purchase a piece of 
In-own bread and fat bacon and a mug of 
beer, and eat their dinners sitting on the 
curb-stones. Their wages are one florin, 
or forty-eight cents, per day, and \\^e are 
assured by a gentleman resident here 
that most of them sleep about the build- 
ings on shavings, or in barns or sheds, 
having no homes. Amidst all the splen- 
dor and wealth of this g^eat city, with its 
million of inhabitants, there is, perhaps, 
more destitution, want, and suffering than 
in all the cities of America. Still, we 
frequently hear some of our countrymen 
praising and jireferring the governments 
of Europe. Whilst viewing this scene, 
the Empei-or and Empress, with his staff 



and outriders, glittering in gold and pre- 
cious stones, dashed along the Ilingstrasse, 
on the way to the palace, whilst a short 
distance off stand the royal stables, an 
extensive establishment, covering at least 
four blocks of ground, each ; the meanest 
animal in which is better cared for than 
these women. It is not to be wondered 
that of the many thousand births annu- 
ally in the lying-in hospital of Vienna, 
less than five hundred are of children 
born in wedlock. 

CAFE LIFE IN VIENNA. 

The restaurants and coffee-rooms of 
Vienna are greatly superior to those of 
Paris, M'hile at the same time the rates are 
much more moderate. Having friends 
here, we have pi-eferred to take our meals 
at the cafes with them, and can truly say 
that we enjoy life in Vienna better than 
has been our experience in any other Eu- 
ropean city. The custom here is to take 
a cup of cofiee at the usual breakfast 
hour, with a roll, a lunch at eleven 
o'clock, dinner at three o'clock, and sup- 
per, or ices and cake, between eight and 
nine o'clock in the evening, — or to drop 
any of them as the appetite may dic- 
tate. We have thus far provided our- 
selves outside of the hotels, and it is more 
like home life than the execrable tuhle- 
d'hoie of the hotels. Vienna bread is 
f\xmous for its sweetness, and the coffee 
served to thousands every morning at a 
coffee-room in close proximity to our hotel 
is delicious. Our dinners are taken in a 
magnificent restaurant, of Avhich the main 
hall is larger than the Assembly liooms in 
Baltimore, and where hundreds of ladies 
and gentlemen are dining or supping, at 
all hours. The cooking and service are 
admirable ; the bill of fare embracing 
everything that the market affords. When 
moving about in other sections of the 
city, we dine or take refreshments wher- 
ever we may happen to be, as there are 
numbers of these eating establishments 
to be found in every direction. Our 
friends, speaking German fluently, and 
having resided here for nearly a year, 
know the established prices for every- 
thing, and protect us from the usual fate 
of strangers in this city. An instance 
of this occurred at the depot on our ar- 
rival, when the expressmen wanted five 
florins to convey our trunks to the hotel. 
The price was a florin and a half, and a 
few words in German satisfied them that 
this was all that they were to receive. 
So it is with everything ; and it is very 
comfortable to feel under safe protection 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



27 



especially during the prevalence of the 
Exposition fever. 

HONESTY OF CAFE LIFE. 

The manner in which the payments are 
made in these larf!;e Vienna restaurants 
is very peculiar. In the one in which we 
dine there are four collectors, each having 
a section of the hall. Parties sit down to 
the tables and order whatever they may 
desire from the waiters, and, when they 
are done, signal for the collector to come 
to them. They then tell him what they 
have had, and he sets each item down on 
a card with the charge, hands it to the 
customer, and receives the money. They 
keep no account as to what is furnished 
to any person, but depend entirely on the 
honesty of the customer to make a cor- 
rect statement of what he has consumed. 
An account, however, is kept in the 
kitchen of each dish that is furnished to 
the tables under the charge of each of the 
four collectors, and they are required to 
pay to the cashier the full amount charged 
to their tables. If they have been cheated 
, it is their loss ; but experience has proven 
jv that there is no loss from dishonesty. 
^^( These collectors not only receive no salary 
w from the proprietor, but each of them 

pays two florins per day (equal to one 
dollar) for his position. They receive 
their pay from the visitors, it being a 
settled custom to give them a few small 
coins on the payment of the bill. Under 
the system in vogue in France the waiter 
receives no pay except what he gets 
from the customers. Here the waiter 
handles no money, and obtains his pay 
from the landlord. 

DRINKING-WATER. 

There is no doubt about the fact that 
the drinking-water of Vienna is not pal- 
atable, whatever it may be in the matter 
of health. It has a most insipid taste, 
as if impregnated with alum, and, as it 
is always lukewarm in summer, cannot 
be considered as desirable ior the slaking 
of thirst. Very few persons in Vienna 
drink simple and pure water, even among 
the poor, as they all continue to put 
something in it to give it a taste. If is 
what we would call excessively hard 
water, soap instantly curdling on the top 
of it. On questioning people here, it will 
be found that nine out often will say, '' I 
never drink water." If you call for it in a 
hotel, the waiter looks at you in wonder, 
starts off, and, after staying long enough 
to go to the top of the house, brings you 
a decanter filled, and then stands off and 



stares in apparent wonder at you gulp- 
ing it down. If ice is called for, at least 
half an hour's further delay is necessary. 
In short, nobody drinks water or uses 
ice, and all demands for either are extra- 
ordinary and out of the regular order of 
events. The water here does not seem 
to slake thirst, although it is pure and 
sparkling to the eye. "We do not, however, 
believe it to be unhealthy. Most of our 
party are great water-drinkers, and use 
it freely notwithstanding its bad name, 
and are all in the enjoyment of extra- 
ordinary health. With water so little 
tempting to the palate, it is not to be won- 
dered at that people prefer wine or beer 
when they can get it, and give water the 
go-by. There is no beer in the world 
equal in quality to that of Vienna, and 
the quantity consumed in a day must be 
immense. The city is surrounded by 
breweries, and if they should happen to 
all burn down, it would be as bad as the 
water famine in Baltimore last year. 

SHOPPING IN VIENNA. 

The ladies find a great many articles 
cheaper here than in Paris. Kid gloves 
of the very best quality, with three but- 
tons, cost but sixty cents per pair, such 
as would cost six francs, or a dollar and 
twenty cents, in Paris. Silks are also 
cheaper here, but velvets and laces much 
higher. Ladies' boots of the most elegant 
material and elaborate workmanship cost 
but five dollars. Narrow laces made here, 
such as are suitable for ordinary trimming, 
are very cheap, costing only from twenty 
to forty cents per yard. Linen handker- 
chiefs, with worked corners, can be pur- 
chased for but little more than the cost of 
the linen, and very elegant ones for one 
florin, or fifty cents. Women's work, 
such as embroidery, or trimming and 
working of dresses, is exceedingly cheap. 
A lady's dress, embroidered all over with 
silk cord, that Avould have required ten 
days' close application, was shown us to- 
day, the work upon which cost but seven 
dollars. The fashionable dressmakers, 
however, charge Paris prices, and run up 
very heavy bills on the strangers who visit 
here. 

The display of goods in the stores and 
the windows is not, of course, equal to 
that in Paris, but there are great num- 
bers of fine stores on all the leading 
streets, as well as in the old sections of 
the city. Indeed, the city has a bright 
and gay appearance everywhere. Even 
when one finds himself in a labyrinth 
of winding and narrow streets he sees 



28 



EUROrE VIEWED THROUGH 



much to admire ; whilst the cleanliness is 
proverbial. 

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. 

Vienna is an intensely Catholic city, 
but the largest liberty is now given to all 
denominations of Christians. We have, 
during to-da^^, passed on the streets at 
least a dozen j^rocessions of priests, with 
attendants carrying banners and cruci- 
fixes, and throngs of men and women 
following, chanting a monotonous prayer. 
But this is an every-day, and almost an 
every-hour, incident. We stopped in at 
the cathedral last evening, and there was 
quite a large attendance of laboring peo- 
ple at one of the altars, joining in the ser- 
vice, which is progressing at all hours of 
the day. The Protestants now have their 
churches, and no restraint of any kind is 
placed upon the freedom of worship, as 
was formerly the case. 

THIRD DAY IN VIENNA. 

The rainy weather which set in with 
the Exposition on the 1st of May still 
holds full sway, and the showers have been 
almost unremitting during the past twen- 
ty-four hours. AVe have seen much of 
the city, and have come to the conclusion 
that it is almost as beautiful and attractive 
as Paris, and equally gay and charming 
to the stranger. When the new Parlia- 
ment House, the University Building, the 
new City Hall, and the Academy of Arts 
and Sciences, and other public buildings 
contemplated, and some of them com- 
menced, on the Ringstrasse, are completed, 
it will have no rival in the world for solid 
grandeur as well as architectural beauty. 
Our view of it has been under great dis- 
advantage of weather, but its attractions 
are too apparent to be clouded by an at- 
mosphere that w'ould render most cities 
gloomy. We are still assured by our kind 
friends here that Ave have as yet seen but 
little of its beauties, and that there is 
much in store for us independent of the 
Exposition. 

THE LADIES OF VIENNA. 

The ladies of Vienna do not keep them- 
selves housed up, and out of sight, as is 
the practice of those of Paris. In Paris 
a really finely-dressed lady is seldom to be 
seen upon the streets, unless she be a 
stranger. If those who do dress Avell in 
parlors, or in their carriages, venture out 
for a promenade, they put on plain black 
dresses, and assimilate themselves to the 
masses. In Vienna, however, fine dress- 
ing is the rule of the street, and you fre- 



quently see ladies in complete velvet or 
satin suits, with trails sweeping the pave- 
ments. The weather has been bad for 
spring dresses and bonnets, cold and raw. 
with intermittent rains, but a gleam of 
sunshine brings them on the street, and 
they make a grand display on all the 
thoroughfares. They are also decidedly 
handsome, and some of them remarkably 
beautiful. A lady of youth and personal 
attractions must, however, never walk 
alone on the streets, or she is liable to 
be joined, and probably insulted, by the 
crowds of smart-looking Austrian officers 
who are always ogling the ladies. Two 
Ladies together can go anywhere with im- 
punity, even enter the cafes or gardens, 
and take their refreshments as safely as 
if they had a male attendant, but singly 
ladies must not venture anywhere. 

The Ringstrasse, and the grounds and 
gardens of the Emperor's palace, are the 
favorite promenades, and here the ladies 
of Vienna hold their grand dress carnivals 
on bright and clear days. The display 
of laces and diamonds, and of all manner 
of rich attire, is not to be excelled in any 
city in the world. There are, however, 
many other localities for the display of 
the beauty and wealth of Vienna still to 
be seen, so soon as abi'ight sunshine shall 
warrant the resumption of their usual 
gayety. 

THE VOLKSGARTEN. 

At five o'clock yesterday afternoon we 
repaired to the Volksgarten, or the Peo- 
ple's Garden, an immense music-saloon 
in the grounds in front of the Emperor's 
palace. Here the famous Baron Hess 
Band, alternating with other bands, gives 
a concert every afternoon, from five to eight 
o'clock, admission one florin, or about 
fifty cents. These bands consist of sixty 
performers, on string and wind instru- 
ments, and are fully equal to the 'Jlieodore 
Thomas orchestra now giving concerts in 
our cities. Two evenings of the week the 
famous Strauss Band, led by a brother of 
the Johann Strauss who attended the 
Boston Carnival, gives concerts in the 
same hall, for Avhich, during the Expo- 
sition, two florins admission is demanded. 
The hall is filled Avith tables, and during 
the ])rogress of the concert the audience 
drink coffee or sip their beer, and the 
gentlemen, and some of the ladies, take a 
quiet smoke. Among the audience were 
Turks, Greeks, and Russian ladies and 
gentlemen, many Englishmen, and a good 
attendance of Americans. The music 
was very fine, including several solos, and 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



29 



the novel scene by which we were sur- 
rounded added zest to our enjoyment of 
the music. Near us sat some Italian 
ladies smoking cigarettes, and on all 
sides were ladies drinking wine or beer, 
or sipping coffee. This is the case in 
all the concert-saloons and places of 
amusement in Vienna, and is regarded 
as right and proper by all classes. The 
evening meal is taken 1)y nearly every 
one in some of the saloons, and Avhen 
they can avail themselves of a concert, 
and can aflbrd the extra expense, the Ger- 
mans always seek its enjoyment. 

THE VIENNA HOTELS. 

The new hotels built in Vienna during 
the past year and opened on the 1st of 
May are very numerous, and four of them 
would be regarded as first-class houses 
even in New York. The Hotel de France, 
the Austria, the Metropole, and the 
Imperial are all larger than the Carroll- 
ton or Barnum's, in Baltimore, and have 
imposing architectural fronts on the Ring- 
strasse. " The JMetropole and the Impe- 
rial are larger than the Fifth Avenue 
Hotel in New York. They are furnished 
throughout in the most costly manner, 
and are each provided with elevators, the 
first, Avith the exception of that at the 
Grand Hotel, ever used in Vienna. Their 
proprietors anticipated that in sis months 
they would make fortunes, and com- 
menced by charging five dollars per daj' 
for single rooms without board. The 
result was that the moment the opening 
ceremonies of the Exposition were over 
every stranger packed up and left. Ten 
dollars per day was the lowest cost at 
which any one could live at a hotel, and 
few were willing to stand this extortion. 
At this time, although prices have been 
reduced to about one-fourth of the amount 
at first charged, there is none of them 
more than one-third full. The Aus- 
tria, in which we are stopping, though 
capable of accommodating fully three 
hundred, had but sixty guests in the 
house this morning ; and some of the other 
houses are still more bare. Those who 
intended to remain here for a month now 
limit themselves to a week, and it is evi- 
dent that this rapacity of the hotel-keep- 
ers and of the caterers for strangei's has 
greatly damaged the reputation of the 
city. Vienna has ahvays been famous for 
its greed in plucking strangers, having 
been regarded as the most costly city in 
the Avorld ; and it will now have a world- 
wide reputation. The city authorities did 
their best to establish moderate prices by 



the enactment of laws, but the dozen lead- 
ing hotels defied all control, and have 
now, when it is too late, learned to regret 
their folly. Nearly a dozen new second- 
and third-class hotels were opened at the 
same time, and, as these paid some re- 
spect to the law, they have fared better 
than the larger houses. 

The extortions upon strangers are, how- 
ever, not confined to hotel-keepers. The 
German can live as cheaply in Vienna 
as in any other European city, but in the 
coffee-rooms and cafes the stranger is re- 
garded as lawful plunder. One-third more 
is charged him for everything he may 
order, and if he happens not to under- 
stand the language a heavier tariff than 
this is imposed upon him. If he is so 
fortunate as to have a German friend to 
settle for him, he is astounded at the 
cheapness of everything as compared 
with any other city in Europe. If, there- 
fore, the people of Vienna ever learn to 
treat strangers even as fairly as they 
are treated in Paris, it will become one 
of the favorite cities of the Continent. If 
a commissionnaire is employed, he only 
assists in plundering, and divides with 
the pkmderers. 

TWELVE HOURS A DAY'S WORK. 

It is just six o'clock in the morning at 
the time we close this letter. The myr- 
iads of workmen and workwomen on the 
grand new 1)uilding of the Stock Ex- 
change, in course of erection opposite our 
hotel'^ have all been at work for the past 
half-hour, and thus they will continue, 
with the exception of an hour for dinner, 
until seven o'clock this evening. Twelve 
hours is a day's woi-k here for the laborer 
and mechanic, whilst the bank and busi- 
ness clerk and all lighter labor is content 
with six to eight hours. Those who are 
so sweeping "in their denunciation of 
trades' unio'ns should witness the condi- 
tion of the laborer in countries like Aus- 
tria, where prices are regulated by the 
will of the employer, and just enough 
pay is given to prevent actual starvation. 
It "is the abuse of power by trades' unions, 
and the manner of enforcing their de- 
crees, that can alone be objected to ; but 
that they should in America be awarded 
the right to combine for the regulation 
of prices, is justified by the condition of 
the workingman in some portions of Eu- 
rope. The laborer here is more a slave 
than ever our colored "chattels" of the 
South were, and the three years -that he 
is cared for and fed by the government 
as a soldier are very often the happiest 



30 



EUROPE VIEWED THE UGH 



of his life. If he were to strike for hijrhor 
wages he would be driven back to his 
work at the point of the bayonet. There 
has been lately the first strike ever 
known in Austria, that of the cab- and 
carriage-drivers. The employers were 
notified that if they did not arrange to 
resume their business immediately the 
government would seize and run the car- 
ria,i!;es. This frightened the drivers more 
than the employers, and they made haste 
to make their peace and resume work. 

Vienna, May 24, 1873. 

WHAT IS TO BE SEEN IN VIENNA. 

Baedeker says that all that is worth 
seeing in Vienna can be seen in ten days. 
He is good authority on most subjects ; 
but, as our party profess to be pretty 
active explorers, we must express a doulit 
on this point. We have spent four days, 
and have as yet seen literally nothinc; of 
what we desire and expect to see. Those 
who find nothing of interest in a city but 
old palaces and bad paintings may get 
through with AHenna in ten days, but" if 
they take any interest in the active, mov- 
ing scenes of the present they will find 
much to interest them for a "month, in- 
dependent of the great Exposition. 

THE RINGSTRASSE. 

It becomes so frequently necessary to 
mention the Ringstrasse, that we must 
endeavor to give some account or descrip- 
tion of it. It is a broad avenue, part pro- 
menade and part street, extending around 
the entire city, with double lines of linden- 
trees down the centre, something like 
"Unter den Linden"' at Berlin, but much 
more extensive and imposing. This broad 
avenue is the site upon which the old 
walls of Vienna were located, and. with 
the Quaistrasse on the Danube, encircles 
the whole interior of the city, or rather 
is the boundary line betAveen Old Vienna 
and most of New Vienna. On this broad 
avenue are being located, nearly through- 
out its entire length, the most elegant 
and imposing structures. Those of 
private individuals and companies vie in 
elerrance Avith the government structures. 
Although nearly double the width of our 
Broadway or the New York BroadAvay, 
it is hardly Avide enough now for the 
concourse of people and vehicles that 
constantly croAvd upon it. Several lines 
of passenger railways run over it, and 
branch off to other sections of the city. 
It at all times presents a cay and festive 
scene, even in such weather as we have 
been enduring during the past week. 



There are lines of seats under the trees 
for pedestrians to rest upon. Property 
frontino; upon this great thoroughfare com- 
mands fabulous prices, it being sold at so 
much per square foot. Outside of the 
Ringstrasse the city is extendinc: in every 
direction, and the population is now esti- 
mated at one million. The ncAV part of 
the city consists entirely of five-and six- 
story houses, all erected on the "flat"' 
system, and remarkable for their fine 
architectural appearance. All the new 
hotels are on the Ringstrasse, as well as 
the Emperor's palace and gardens, the city 
park, and nearly all the palatial residences 
of Austria's Grand Dukes. 

THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE. 

Our first visit to the Grand Opera House 
of Vienna Avas made last evening. It is 
the largest and most magnificent estab- 
lishment of the kind in the Avorld, except- 
ing the neAT Paris Opera House, Avhich 
is not yet finished, having been some 
twelve years in the course of erection. You 
cannot secure reserved seats, and unless 
application is made tAvo or three days in 
advance it is difficult to obtain seats of 
any kind. When application is made for 
tickets they hand the number required, 
and you are compelled to take them with- 
out any certain knoAvled<i;e as to their 
location. The house is immense, Avith 
four tiers of boxes, and a gallery above. 
The boxes or stalls are all rented by 
families at five thousand florins, or tAvo 
thousand five hundred dollars, per annum, 
with the exception of the Emperor's box 
and the stage-boxes for the royal family 
and the Grand Dukes. The only portions 
of the house in Avhich seats can be ob- 
tained by the public and strangers are the 
third and fourth galleries and the par- 
quet. When imperial performances are 
given, no one is admitted Avithout a ticket 
from the Emperor. The cost of a seat in 
the parquet at ordinary performances is 
about four florins, and in the third gallery 
three florins. 

The performance last evening Avas a 
grand scenic and ballet spectacle, gotten 
up for the visitors to the Exposition. It 
exceeded in majrnificence the Black Crook 
and all the other pieces of that character 
ever produced at Niblo's. The ballet 
corps consisted of at least two hundred 
dancers, and the scene presented at times 
on the immense stage Avas startling in its 
eflfect. During the progress of the piece 
each of the three hundred performers who 
took part in it appeared in at least six 
diSerent dresses, and at one time the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



31 



ballet-dancers gave the national dances of 
nearly all countries, including America, 
the air to which they danced being Yankee 
Doodle. They were ai-rayed in this dance 
in the costumes of the several countries, 
including Chinese and Japanese. The 
carnival scene at Naples was actually 
grand, and at times fully three hundred 
were dancing together and moving with 
wonderful precision. It would be impos- 
sible to attempt to describe the innumer- 
able grand scenic spectacles presented, 
but they were most of them of a character 
we had never before witnessed, during a 
pretty extensive theatrical experience. 
It was a pantomime, with a well-de- 
veloped love-story in it, and the most 
wonderful optical illusions produced by 
the free use of calcium lights from the 
scenes above. The ballet-dancers seemed 
to be all of the first class, both male and 
female, and the principal artist is an 
Italian danseuse, who is permanently en- 
gaged at twenty-four thousand florins per 
annum. This piece has been a long time 
in preparation, and will be presented 
twice a week during the progress of the 
Exposition. During the evening the 
Emperor's brother and some of the Grand 
Dukes were occasionally in their boxes ; 
but the Emperors box was empty all the 
evening. 

THE CITY RAILWAYS. 

Vienna has an abundance of city pas- 
senger railways permeating through every 
prominent avenue of the city. The cars 
are divided off into three sections, the first 
section being a coupe, holding three pas- 
sengers, in which no smoking is permit- 
ted ; the second or middle section holds 
twelve passengers ; and the third section, 
Avhich is open, and forms a portion of the 
platform, holds three seats, and standing- 
room for a dozen. They are often packed 
as closely as our own cars. They never 
stop to take on passengers or let them off 
except at the stations, which are about 
two squares apart, mai'ked by a sign- 
board. The cost of a ride is just five 
cents in our money, extending from one 
end of the city to the other, a distance of 
about seven miles. They all strike into 
the Ringstrasse, and here the different 
lines occupy the same track, as they do 
on Baltimore Street. The conductor gives 
each passenger a ticket on the payment 
of his fare, the ticket being numbered, 
at the same time tearing a corner off 
it. A detective occasionally jumps on 
a car and takes the ticket out of the 
hands of each passenger and tears an- 



other corner off, and makes note of the 
number of it. Each morning the con- 
ductor is given a package of tickets, all 
numbered, and he must return the money 
for all the tickets that he does not return 
to the office. By this means there c.in be 
no dishonesty practiced by the conduc- 
tors. It seems a simple system, and is 
said to w^ork very satisfactorily. The 
companies are all very wealthy, and the 
stock is said to be one hundred percent, 
above par. These railways all coiiinect 
with suburban roads extending out to the 
villas and towns surrounding the city. 
The conductor never knows when the de- 
tective will appear, but always expects 
him, and is always honest. If any pas- 
senger is found without a ticket, the con- 
ductor is suspended on the spot. 

A PAPER MONEY COUNTRY. 

Austria is at the present time, like the 
United States, a paper money country, or, 
in other words, gold is at a premium 
of about eleven per cent. Strangers 
here who have letters of credit on the 
bankers, of course, have the advantage 
of this premium. Thus, in drawing 
twenty-five pounds yesterday, which 
would represent one hundred and twenty- 
five dollars in our money, or two hun- 
dred and fifty florins in Austrian gold, 
we received *two hundred and seventy- 
five florins in Austrian paper money. 
The Austrian money is very easily un- 
derstood by an American. A florin is 
equal to fifty cents, and a hundred kreut- 
zers represent one florin. A kreutzer is 
just equal to a half-cent, American. A 
ten-kreutzer piece represents our five-cent 
piece, and a twenty-kreutzer piece, our 
dime. So, also, a fifty-kreutzer piece 
represents our quarter of a dollar. Thus, 
if we are asked ten florins for anj^thing 
we desire to purchase, we at once know 
the cost to be five dollars ; and so on with 
all other sums. 

There was an expectation here among 
the banks and brokers that the Exposi- 
tion would bring paper money back to 
par. The calculation was that from two 
to three millions of gold would be spent 
here daily by strangers ; but the i-esult 
has thus far been a great disappointment. 
It is presumed that matters will improve, 
and the receipts greatly increase next 
month ; but as one-half of the strangers 
here are St.ate or Government Commis- 
sioners, they expect free admission to the 
Fair. It is said that out of thirty thou- 
sand visitors last Sunday, less than four- 
teen thousand paid their admission fee. 



32 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



They are, however, spending a great deal 
of money in the city, and the hotels are 
grinding everything out of thein that is 
possible. At the restaurants a much Ijet- 
ter dinner can be had for one florin than 
can he liad at the hotels for four, and a 
better breakfast for about thirty cents 
than can be had for a dollar. 

THE ESTERHAZY KELLER. 

Among the singular places to visit is 
the wine-cellar known as the Esterhazy 
Keller. It appears that Prince Esterhazy, 
a great Bohemian wine-grower, decreed 
in his will, many years ago, the estab- 
lishment of this wine-cellar, his object 
being -that the poor people of Vienna 
should always be enabled to obtain good 
and pure wine at the cost of production. 
It is only kept open from eleven o'clock 
to a quarter-past one, and from five to 
half-past seven o'clock in the evening. 
We passed down from the street two 
flights of stone steps to the depth of 
about thirty feet, when Ave entered an 
irregular-shaped cellar, which appeared 
to extend under the foundations of sev- 
eral of the neighboring houses. Around 
the walls were arranged a number of 
large casks of wine, with which the re- 
cesses of the cellar were well stored. 
There were in the cellar nojjless than two 
hundred persons, most of them of the 
poorer classes, though there were some 
well-dressed men sipping their Avine. All 
were standing around against the walls, 
there being no seats, and the most re- 
markable quiet prevailed. Many women 
and children came with bottles and flasks, 
and for about six cents received a pint 
of very good wine. We took a glass, and 
found it very good and palatable. It is 
furnished from the extensive estates of 
Prince Esterhazy by his family in com- 
pliance with the order in his will. In a 
country where Avine is considered a part 
of the daily food of a family, the value 
of this bequest is undoubted, as good 
wine cannot be purchased elscAvhere for 
three times the money. It is a dark and 
gloomy place, and when Ave entered from 
the daylight the silent people standing 
around reminded us of the mummy vault 
at Bremen. 

ViEXNA, May 25, 1873. 

FIRST VISIT TO TQE EXPOSITION. 

We yesterday paid our first visit to the 
Exposition, and Avere really astounded, 
both at its extent and Avonderful magnifi- 
cence. From ten o'clock in the morning 
until five p. m. we roamed through its vast 



halls, taking time only for a brief and 
hasty glance at the articles on exhibition, 
and when the time for leaving arrived Ave 
had barely accomplished one-half of the 
main building, leaving the painting-gal- 
lery, the machine department, and the 
horticultural exhibition, Avhich were in 
separate buildings, unvisited. That the 
enterprise is a grand success, beyond any- 
thing that could have been anticipated, 
even by the Austrian authorities, is be- 
yond dispute. 

THE GRAND HALL. 

When we get up fairs and mechanical 
exhibitions in America, a temporary board 
building is constructed, Avhitew.ashed, and 
the rough places covered Avith calico. The 
Vienna Exposition building itself is a 
great curiosity, being constructed as if it 
were to stand for ages, mainly of brick, 
stone, and iron, and grand in its architec- 
tural proportions and finish, both inside 
and out. The entrance and exit doorways 
are ornamented with statuary, and its 
dome is surmounted by a gilded crown, 
standing some tAventy feet higher than the 
ball on the dome of St. Peter's. The hall 
of the Paris Exposition AA'as twice as 
large as that of London, and the main 
building of the Vienna Exposition is com- 
puted to be more than five times as large 
as that of Paris. Besides this, there are 
two separate buildings, the machinery 
hall, which is about six times as long and 
twice as Avide as the hall of our Maryland 
Institute, and the painting-gallery, which 
is three times as long and twice as broad 
as that of the Institute. The floor of the 
main building, with its sixteen transepts, 
is about one mile long and one hundred 
feet l)road. The rotunda in the centre of 
the building is immense, and is itself 
larger than any hall in the United 
States ; Avhilst the ceiling toAvers up more 
than three hundred feet to the crown of 
the dome, which is twice as large in cir- 
cumference as the dome of St. Peter's. 
The grounds around these immense build- 
ings haA^e been laid out in vast gardens, 
with fountains, gravel-walks, and flower- 
beds, and hundreds of restaurants and 
cafes are erected Avithin the inclosure, 
representing all the nations in Christen- 
dom, and even the heathen Chinee, the 
Turk, and the Japanese. Tavo of these 
restaurants arc under the American flag ; 
and some of them are as large and almost 
as fine in their appearance as the Mansion 
House at the Park. Near the centre of the 
main hall is a very fine building, erected 
for the Emperor, in Avhich he is to receive 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



33 



and entertain his royal guests. Although 
merely for temporary use, it is a very ele- 
gant structure, about one hundred feet in 
length, and is ornamented with statuary 
and bas-reliefs, and the walls inside ele- 
gantly frescoed. Fine gardens and grounds 
have been extemporized around it, and it 
might be regarded as a very elegant coun- 
trv villa. But we find it impossible to 
convey any adequate idea of the magnifi- 
cence of the Exposition buildings and 
their surroundings. They are vast and 
wonderful, far exceeding our expectations ; 
and if Philadelphia hopes to rival or ex- 
cel Vienna at its Centennial Exposition, 
it must be up and doing. Even with the 
cheap labor of Austria, the construction 
of these buildings and the preparation of 
the grounds have cost the Austrian gov- 
ernment over forty millions of guilders, or 
about twenty million dollars in our money. 
Large as this vast building is, it has 
been found entirely too small for the dis- 
play of the goods brought for exhibi- 
tion. The United States, England, France, 
Prussia, Russia, and several other coun- 
tries have found the space allotted to them 
entirely inadequate, and have been al- 
lowed to construct additional wings be- 
tween the transepts. The United States 
has enlarged its space by roofing over 
the ground between it and England, 
thus adding a hall about two hundred 
feet long and one hundred feet wide, 
with doors opening to it from the main 
hall ; so also have the other countries 
named. Between some of the transepts 
private exhibitors have constructed large 
halls for their own exclusive display of 
goods, and, although the buildings are 
now full, train after train of additional 
goods is hourly arriving. Just imagine 
the Vienna Exposition to be the great 
wonder of the present century, and you 
will not fall much short of the mark. 

WHAT IS TO BE SEEN. 

There are some things that can be 
described, but we admit at the outset that 
the interior of the Exposition building is 
something beyond our ability to convey 
any idea of its wonderful and gorgeous 
display. There is here to be seen every- 
thing that is rich, rare, and beautiful, 
fi-om all the four corners of the earth. 
The manner in which the goods have been 
placed upon exhibition has astonished us 
as much as their richness and character. 
The exhibitors have endeavored to excel 
each other in the magnificence of the 
thousands of beautiful and costly cases 
in which they display their goods, nearly 
3 



all of these being elegantly constructed 
and ornamented and inclosed with plate 
glass. Millions of dollars must have 
been expended by exhibitors in fitting up 
the spaces allotted to them, and they 
have in reality opened business establish- 
ments for the sale of their goods, with 
clerks and salesmen in attendance. The 
rotunda has an immense fountain, with 
statues in the centre, and its vast interior 
is being fitted up with mammoth cases, 
many of them twenty feet in height, 
stored with valuable goods. Austria has 
furnished a magnificent temple for the 
use of the depositors, and they are sparing 
no expense in ornamenting its interior in 
a manner worthy of its grandeur. 

THE DISPLAY OF GOODS. 

Whilst all the nations have made a 
grand display, the most attractive depart- 
ment, and that which draws the largest 
throng of visitors, is that of Italy. The 
display of statuary and mosaic tables, and 
the rich and rare jewelry of Naples, Ge- 
noa, Venice, Florence, and Rome, attract 
throngs of ladies. The silks, satins, and 
velvets of France, the shawls of India, ' 
the laces of Brussels, and the diamonds 
of all the world, are here in glittering ar- 
ray. It is estimated that the diamonds 
alone on exhibition are worth ten mil- 
lions of dollars, among which is one neck- 
lace for which one hundred and seventy- 
five thousand dollars is asked. Her 
Majesty the Empress was much pleased 
with this trifle, and the owner of it hopes 
to effect a sale before the Fair closes. 
The most elegant diamond cross on exhi- 
bition, valued at six thousand dollars, is 
marked as having been already sold to 
Johann Strauss, the leader of the great 
band which visited America. A beauti- 
ful piece of statuary in the Italian de- 
partment, regarded as the gem of the 
collection, has been purchased by an 
American gentleman. It represents a boy 
sitting on a gate, blowing bubbles, and a 
little girl climbing up and reaching to 
catch the bubble, which is represented by 
a glass ball on the mouth of the pipe. 
The fun of the thing is so clearly depicted 
in the countenance and action of the chil- 
dren that it draws forth an involuntary 
smile from every spectator. 

There are, probably, several hundred 
pieces of modern statuary in the Exposi- 
tion, from all the best living sculptors, 
and to our uncultivated taste they are 
better worth seeing than all the mutilated 
remains of marble antiquities that have 
been unearthed at Rome. In addition to 



34 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



their beauty, they represent bright, liv- 
ing ideas and thoughts, and not the mere 
corrupting ideas oi' heathen mythology 
and impure scenes from Bible history. 
So also with the gallery of paintings, in 
which we spent a few moments before 
leaving. There is not a painting on the 
walls that needs any explanation. They 
all speak the thoughts of the artist from 
the canvas, and, as specimens of the skill 
of living painters from all quarters of the 
globe, give proof that high art, combined 
with sensible ideas, still exists. 

We were rather disappointed in our 
expectation of seeing people dressed in 
the costumes of all nations among the 
exhibitors and spectators. On the con- 
trary, there was nothing in the dress of 
any one to indicate that we were on this 
side of the Atlantic, except the long 
gowns of two greasy and dirty-looking 
Syrians whom we passed in the grounds. 
All, even Turks, wore the European dress, 
except that the latter retainecl their red 
skull-caps, with a long black tassel hang- 
ing down. Even the Chinese have cut off 
their tails, donned coats, pantaloons, vest, 
necktie, and felt hat, and no longer attract 
attention except by their almond-shaped 
eyes. 

SUNDAY IN VIENNA. 

There is evidently no law for the ob- 
servance of the Sabbath in Vienna, every 
one being permitted to follow the dictates 
of his own conscience in this matter. 
The out-door mechanic, who has to keep 
all rainy days, is ves-y apt to take advan- 
tage of a clear Sunday to put in a good 
day's work, and the storekeeper, if he can 
sell anything, has no scruples of conscience 
on tlie subject. A large proportion of the 
stores were, however, religiously closed all 
day, whilst others were kept open until 
noon. Those for the sale of provisions 
of any kind, tobacco, confectionery, etc., 
were open all day, as to them it is the 
principal business day of the week. The 
bricklayers were at work on all the new 
buildings on the Ringstrasse, and the 
women were mixing and carrying the 
mortar, until noon, when they stopped, in 
order to participate in the sports and 
merry-making of German Sunday even- 
ing. The churches were well attended 
during the morning, and the streets pre- 
sented a holiday aspect, the people being 
arrayed in their best apparel, and all 
seeming intent upon personal enjoyment. 
The Opera House and the Music Halls 
were in full blast during the evening, and 
were all more thronged than on any other 
evening of the week. 



The great Austrian bands gave concerts 
at the principal gardens, and the thou- 
sands of coffee-saloons and restaurants in 
which the whole population appear to eat 
all their meal^ on Sunday were crowded to 
excess. We entered one of the finest of 
these, to take supper, last evening. In it 
there are two hundred tables, each holding 
from six to eight persons, and we had to 
wait for a vacant table. This we learned 
was always the case on Sunday evening 
from six to ten o'clock, and that this par- 
ticular cafe frequently furnished ten thou- 
sand meals during the day. But there 
was no drunkenness to be seen anywhere ; 
and in this one saloon, although the party 
around each table were all in pleasant 
converse, it was in a tone that did not 
disturb their nearest neighbor. x\n Amer- 
ican gentleman who has resided here for 
the past year assures me that he has as yet 
seen but one drunken man in Vienna, and 
he had, for the first time in his life, been 
testing the merits of American whisky. 

The Exposition building was, of course, 
opened on Sunday, the price of admission 
on that day being reduced to about a 
quarter of a dollar. The number of vis- 
itors is said to have exceeded one hundred 
thousand yesterday, being mostly of the 
poorer class. If they could not have an 
opportunity of seeing it on Sunday, few 
of them could see it at all ; for they could 
not spare any other day in the week for 
the purpose. 

THE " DUTCH TREAT." 

The Germans in the United States, and 
those Americans who afl'ect a fondness for 
lager-beer, don't drink it as it is drunk 
in Germany. They rush into a restaurant 
and gulp down two or three glasses, and 
move on. Here a German never thinks 
of finishing his glass of beer in less than 
ten minutes, or of drinking it without eat- 
ing something at the same time, even if 
it is only a crust of brown bread. In 
fact, a German in the Fatherland is con- 
stitutionally opposed to doing anything 
in a hurry, and especially to drinking 
beer with "rapid speed." The conse- 
quence is, that we do not see men here 
Avith great, huge paunches, as at home, 
capable of swallowing a keg of beer after 
supper. They never treat one another, 
but sit down to the tables, and, though 
they drink together, each man pay.s for 
what he consumes, whether it be beer or 
food. This of itself is a great preventive 
of excess, as if a half-dozen or dozen were 
to sit down to drink, as with us, each man 
must treat in turn, and thus six or a dozen 



A MERICAN SPECTA CLES. 



35 



glasses would be guzzled, whether they 
wanted it or not. If our temperance 
friends could institute what is called the 
"Dutch treat" into our saloons, each man 
paying his own reckoning, it would be a 
long step towards reform in drinking. In 
short, beer in Germany is a part of each 
man's food. He takes it as a sustenance, 
and not as a stimulant. 

THE emperor's SUMMER PALACE. 

We proceeded on Sunday afternoon to 
one of the most popular resorts of the 
people of Vienna, — the garden and park 
of the Emperor's summer palace, called 
Schonbruun, located on an eminence 
about one mile west of the city. We 
were not prepared to find so beautiful 
and attractive a place, or one that so 
richly repaid the trouble of a visit. The 
palace is a very large one, and although 
completed under Maria Theresa, one 
hundred years ago, is kept bright and 
beautiful with paint. The front of it, 
with the wings for servants and attend- 
ants, is about half a mile in length, and 
with the Gloriette, a fine colonnade on an 
eminence in the rear of it, presents a 
most imposing appearance. It was in 
this palace that Napoleon the First estab- 
lished his headquarters in 1804 and 1809 
and at the cannon's mouth dictated terms 
for the surrender of Vienna. 

The most attractive and interesting 
part of the palace is the gardens, Avhich 
are nearly as extensive as Druid Hill 
Park ; and, as the royal family are to take 
up their residence there to-day, every- 
thing was probably in extraordinarily 
good order and condition. The view 
through the long avenues of trees, broken 
by statues and fountains, looks more like 
a theatrical scene than like reality. These 
avenues resemble those at Versailles, but 
are far more extensive: every tree ap- 
pears to have been cut and trimmed for 
ages, so that they present for a half- 
mile at a stretch a solid wall of green, 
perpendicular to the height of fifty feet, 
and as smooth and regular as if con- 
structed by hand, instead of being the 
growth of nature. Indeed, nature has 
evidently, for half a century, been nothing 
but an adjunct to art in the arrangement 
of these .avenues, and they form an admi- 
rable background of solid green for the 
numerous statues which adorn the gai-- 
dens. On an eminence in the rear of 
the gardens is the Gloriette, a colonnaded 
temple, erected by Maria Theresa whilst 
residing here, from which to have a 
fine view of Vienna stretched out before 



her. On the side of the eminence is a 
splendid and very elaborate fountain and 
cascade, with a large number of marble 
mermaids, and Neptune sporting in the 
spray. We, of course, ascended to the 
Gloriette, and found everything being put 
in good order in anticipation of the visit 
of the Emperor of Germany. We were 
not permitted to ascend to the balcony, 
but every part of Vienna, including the 
dome of the Exposition building in the 
far distance, was distinctly visible. 

This park is open at all times to the 
people of Vienna, and in one portion of 
it is quite an extensive Zoological Gar- 
den, the menagerie containing a fine col- 
lection of animals. On Sunday the view 
of the animals is also free, and, as a mat- 
ter of course, thousands avail themselves 
of the opportunity of breathing the pure 
atmosphere and strolling over the grounds, 
when the weather will permit. The cars 
run from the city to the palace, and it can 
be reached from most parts of the city for 
five cents. 

THE PRINCE IMPERIAL. 

When we reached the Gloriette, we 
found one of the royal carriages, with 
footmen in silver livery, and an officer 
gayly dressed, waiting near a gate which 
led into the thicket beyond. The crowd 
were all standing watching for some one, 
and we naturally joined them. Finally 
an officer in undress uniform, and a boy 
wearing a slouched hat and having a shot- 
pouch over his shoulder, emerged from the 
thicket, which was the signal for all the 
attendants to take off their hats, and for 
two or three flunkeys to run with coats and 
wraps towards the approaching couple. 
We were in supreme ignorance as to what 
it all meant, and as to which of the ap- 
proaching pair was the one to whom all 
were so obseciuious, but naturally thought 
it was the man, and had hardly noticed 
his companion until they approached the 
carriage, when the yonth, a sprightly boy 
about twelve or thirteen years of age, 
jumped into the carriage and gracefully 
raised his hat to the assemliled spectators, 
and the officer, who was his tutor, took 
his seat beside him. As they drove off. 
most of the spectators uncovered, and he 
gracefully saluted them by raising his hat. 
This boy, Ave Avere then told, was the 
Crown Prfnce ; but, as his father is only 
forty-five years of age, he Avill evidently 
be a man before he is called upon to be 
an Emperor. 

As we Avere about returning from the 
palace, another royal carriage drove up, 



36 



EUROPE VIEWED TIUWUGir 



containing the Empress and a female at- 
tendant. She had evidently come out to 
see that everythins; was in order prepara- 
tory for the arrival of the Emperor and 
the rest of the family to-day, though it is 
said that she and the Emperor are on 
such had terms that they only appear to- 
gether on great state occasions, he living 
in one end of the palace and she in the 
other. They had a mother-in-law, who 
died recently, and who, gossip says, kept 
the whole brood in hot water. There is 
now said to be peace in the family, but 
it is only a kind of armed neutrality. 
Wagon-loads of trunks were arriving at 
the palace, and the servants were moving 
about, appearing to have full possession. 

We h.ave also had two or three glimpses 
of the Emperor as he flies about the city 
in his carriage. lie has with him, gener- 
ally, no attendants, except an officer riding 
with the driver. 

SCENES AT THE PRATER. 

The Prater is an immense park in the 
northwestern section of the city, on the 
outer portion of which is erected the Ex- 
position building, and through which all 
the visitors must pass, either in the cars, 
carriages, or on foot. It has fine, broad 
avenues leading through it; that on the 
left, the Wlirstelprater, being the favorite 
haunt of the lower classes. Along this, 
for nearly a mile, are a succession of 
cafes and beer-gardens, theatres, circuses, 
wax figures, Punch and Judy shows, fat 
women, and all manner of attractions, 
and crowds of people. The Hauptallee, 
the farthest avenue to the right, about 
two hundred feet in width, is the favorite 
promenade and drive of the higher classes, 
and the Emperor and Empress (never 
together) are to be seen here every fine 
afternoon. It presented a gay and pleas- 
ing scene yesterday, the carriages with 
their bright equipages being so numer- 
ous that it was difficult for them to pro- 
gress more rapidly than at a walk. Near 
the extremity of their drives, and border- 
ing the Exposition inclosure, there are a 
vast number of gardens and restaurants, 
many of them being gotten up for the 
occasion. Two of these are American 
restaurants, and innumerable others are 
German establishments. It would be dif- 
ficult to find anywhere a more gay scene 
than the Priiter presented throughout its 
broad bounds, and it is truly a popular 
resort equally for all classes of the peo- 
ple. The occupants of the carriages gen- 
erally stopped at some of the gardens, 
and partook of refreshments, listening for 



a time to the fine bands of music sta- 
tioned at the largest of them, and met 
and joined with friends in social converse. 
We could not but contrast it with the 
stiff" formality of the scene on the plateau 
in front of the Mansion at Druid Hill 
Park, where a formal bow is all that 
passes between friends as they meet or 
pass each other. 

THE ROTAL STABLES. 

Having procured tickets of admission, 
we proceeded this morning to the royal 
stables, which are located in the heart 
of the city, and were astounded at their 
dimensions. We found upon entering 
them that they cover about twenty acres 
of ground. The number of blooded horses 
in the stalls is four hundred, and they are 
all, with a few exceptions, English horses. 
Here were the Emperor's riding horses, 
the Emperors riding and hunting horses, 
the Empress's ponies, the Prince Im- 
perial's riding and carriage horses and 
ponies ; white horses, to the number of 
over one hundred, for the royal carriages 
on state occasions; over a hundred brown 
and sorrel horses for light carriages ; about 
fifty coal-black horses to be used tor fu- 
nerals and when the royal family is in 
mourning; and about twenty mules, to- 
gether with several pet jacks and jennies 
belonging to the Empress. There are 
seventy royal coachmen, forty postilions, 
and two hundred grooms for the horses, 
with about fifty stable-boys and labor- 
ers. The Emperor and Empress are both 
passionately fond of horses, and could 
" talk horse" to the entire satisfaction of 
President Grant. It is evident that they 
do not intend this to be regarded as a 
" one-horse country." There is a hos- 
pital for horses, with a professor and stu- 
dents, and a large horse apothecary-shop, 
among the buildings. 

We were next taken into the carriage 
loft, and here we saw two hundred car- 
riages, about one-third of which were 
immense and ponderous vehicles covered 
all over with gilt, some of them especi- 
ally for grand state occasions, and others 
for daily use, all as bright and beautiful 
as if just from the factory. There was 
also the grand gilt chariot built for Maria 
Theresa, the panels of which were painted 
by Rubens. Then there were the gilded 
sleighs and the smaller chariot of the 
sainted Maria, with a dozen little pony 
phaetons, used in their day by the Em- 
peror and the Empress and a host of 
other great folks when they were little 
boys and girls. There was also in this 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



37 



loft the mourning hearse upon which the 
remains of Maximilian were conveyed to 
the tomb, and the mourning carriage in 
which the Emperor and Empress rode on 
that occasion. In another building we 
were shown an immense array of gilded 
harness, hundreds of sers, all ready for 
use, with the suits of livery to be wor i 
by the coachmen and postilions with 
each set of harness. Then there were a 
vast number of sets of harness for fu- 
neral and mourning occasions, light har- 
ness, saddles, etc. The saddle used by 
Maximilian in Mexico was also shown us, 
with other matters pertaining to the 
horse, too numerous to mention. 

We also visited, in a large building, 
the royal riding-school for use in winter, 
where the boys and girls of royal blood 
are taught to ride on horseback. It is an 
immense hall, two hundred and forty feet 
in length by one hundred and twenty in 
width, with a canopied box for the Em- 
peror and Empress to sit and witness the 
performance. It has a carefully prepared 
turf floor, and the walls and ceilings are 
elegantly ornamented. This being only 
for winter use, furnaces are placed under 
the floor, with flues for heating it. The 
whole establishment is almost as elegant 
as the palace, and everything is clean and 
in fine order. The horses are all kept in 
broad stalls, which have cushioned sides to 
them, swinging from a bar. The main 
building is about a third of a mile long, 
and there are a half-dozen immense 
buildings in the rear. Carriages with 
the royal coachmen and postilions can 
be seen flying about the city at all hours, 
and the Emperor and the Empress and 
the father of the Emperor appear almost 
every day either on the streets or at the 
Prater. 

EXPERIENCE OF GERMAN LIFE. 

We have had one week's experience of 
life in a German restaurant, and it has 
been a very pleasant episode in the rou- 
tine of travel. With our friends here, all 
Baltiinoreans, our party numbers seven. 
The saloon in which we usually dine has 
nearly two hundred tables, and when we 
enter at half-past two o'clock each of 
these tables has from six to eight per- 
sons seated at it, partaking of their din- 
ner. Being regular customers, a special 
table is reserved for us, and as we march 
through the hall there is a general buzz 
of curiosity at the sight of so many live 
Yankees, nearly half the party being la- 
dies. We are thus living as the people 
of Vienna live, and find the life has its 



charms and is quite a merry one, and 
a happy escape from the nauseous table- 
d'hote dinners of the hotels. We are as 
jolly as the rest of them, and have taken 
a decided liking to the famous beer of 
Vienna. Everything is served up fresh 
and hot, and the variety is equal to that 
furnished at the tables of the best of our 
American hotels. The interesting sights 
and scenes around us also give a zest to 
the dinner-hour, and we are so happy and 
contented in Vienna that we shall proba- 
bly remain for three or four weeks longer. 
At supper the hall is still more densely 
thronged, and, with appetites sharpened 
by the active life we are leading, we do 
not mind the clouds of tobacco-smoke, 
and some of us soon join in increasing its 
volume. Surrounded by those who are 
jovial and happy, we have come to the 
conclusion that properly to enjoy foreign 
travel it is necessary to live as the people 
live — when "you go to Turkey, to do as 
the Turkeys do." The coffee furnished 
at the coffee-rooms is excellent, and break- 
fast, consisting of bread and butter, coffee, 
and eggs, can be had for about thirty cents. 
These cafes are immense, and are always 
crowded with customers from seven to ten 
o'clock in the morning, and also in the 
evening. Most of them fuimish their 
guests with all the European and some 
American papers. 

LETTING ROOMS. 

American readers will scarcely be able 
fully to comprehend the system of living 
in Vienna, without further explanation. 
There are very few houses in this city in 
which from ten to twenty families do not 
reside, nor are there any houses, in the 
new sections of the city especially, which 
cover less than the half of a square : 
most of them, indeed, take in the whole 
front, from corner to corner. The lower 
story, and very frequently the two lower 
stories, are taken for business, and the 
three or four upper stories are let out to 
families. Many of these families take 
more rooms than they require, which they 
furnish and let out to students and others, 
at so much per month. Thus it is that 
almost every housekeeper has furnished 
rooms to rent. Many of the occupants of 
these rooms contract with the landlady to 
furnish them with the usual German 
breakfast, consisting of a cup of coffee 
and a roll of bread. The rest of their 
meals are taken at the restaurants and 
cafes. Among the poorer classes there 
are some houses containing from eight 
hundred to three thousand people. 



38 



EUEOPE VIEWED THROUGH 



KEEPING OF PUBLIC SQUARES. 

The Councils of Baltimore and New 
York, it is gratifying to see, have ordered 
the removal of the iron railings from 
around some of the public squares. These 
unsightly and unnecessary contrivances 
are generally ignored in all parts of 
Europe. The parks are the property of 
the people, and under the protection of 
the people, and need no iron railings to 
guard them. The removal of these fences 
vrill also, it is to be hoped, lead to the 
adoption of another European idea, that 
of placing the squares in charge of active 
and industrious young gardeners, who 
will employ their time in planting and 
cultivating beds of flowers, and otherwise 
ornamenting the grounds under their 
charge, instead of giving them into the 
hands of old broken-down politicians. 
The numerous " Rings" scattered through 
Vienna -are not only breathing spots, but 
beauty spots, during spring and summer. 
The most beautiful beds of flowers are 
placed wherever they will add to the 
attractions of the promenade, and for 
any one to disturb them would be re- 
garded by the people as an offense akin 
to burglary. 

Vienna, May 31, 1873. 

THE EXPOSITION. 

We spent most of yesterday at the Ex- 
position, and have seriously come to the 
conclusion that it has been overdone, — 
that there is too much of it to be properly 
seen by any one before being satiated and 
exhausted in the effort to see even that in 
which he may take the most interest. 
We found that independent of the great 
Exposition Hall, and the separate Ma- 
chinery Building, the latter being fully a 
third of a mile in length, and the Hall of 
Paintings, nearly as long, each separate 
government has a distinct building for 
the exhibition of agricultural implements, 
every one of which is filled to its utmost 
capacity. 

THE EXPOSITION GROUNDS. 

Whilst the interiors of the buildings of 
the Exposition are so vast and wonderful, 
the gi'ounds are equally startling in their 
extent, and the scenes they present. The 
inclosure in which the Exposition is held 
covers nearly four hundred acres of 
ground, and the number of elegant build- 
ings upon it is really wonderful. In ad- 
dition to the spacious structure for the 
Emperor and his guests, nearly every 
government has constructed veiy orna- 
mental buildings for its Commissioners. 



That of England is in the form of a 
country villa, inclosed by a paling fence, 
with flowers and shrubs in profusion. The 
grounds around the Emperor's villa, to 
the extent of three or four acres, are also 
laid out in grass-plots, with gravel-walks 
and fountains, evergieens, and even stat- 
uary. No one would suppose, to look at 
these structures, which are built with 
heavy walls and strewn with elaliorate 
ornaments, that they are merely for tem- 
porary use, to be removed some months 
hence. But of all the nations the heathen 
bid fair to excel in the erection of these 
structures. Turkey is just finishing a 
splendid mosque directly in front of the 
main entrance to the painting-gallery, 
which is to be a fac-simile in all its ap- 
pointments of the genuine article. Turkish 
mechanics are doing the work, and the 
decorations are all here, ready and waiting 
for the carpenters to finish the interior. 
Even the three drinking-fountains usual 
on the sides of these buildings are here, 
with their running streams and cups. 
But Turkey will eclipse Persia in the fac- 
simile it is erecting of the favorite country 
palace of the Sultan. It is nearly com- 
pleted, and with its dome and minarets 
would outshine all the country villas on 
Charles Street avenue in its picturesque 
beauty. It is to be decorated and finished 
similarly to the Sultan's palace, and in the 
stables attached is to be a specimen of each 
of the domestic animals used in Turkey. 

But even this rambling notice can give 
the readet no idea of the magnificence of 
the grounds of the inclosure. From a 
rough field it has everywhere been laid 
out with gravel-walks, beautifully sodded, 
and interspersed with fountains ; h undreds 
of men and women being still at work 
keeping in order what has been finished, 
or completing the ornamentation of other 
sections. 

The exterior buildings thus connected 
with tlie Exposition form a complete cor- 
don around the whole immense structure, 
and still outside of these is the circle of 
restaurants and cafes, all the proprietors 
having been required to put up handsome 
buildings, which present a very pjictu- 
resque apjiearance. Excellent meals are 
served at them, but pretty stiff prices are 
charged. 

THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS. 

The fixrmers of America would be 
startled if they could wander through 
the immense agricultural buildings of 
the diffei'ent countries. In the French 
department they would see a steam plow, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



39 



built for one of the Archdukes of Aus- 
tria, which could not have cost less than 
fifty thousand dollars. Only think of 
paying such a price for a plow ! It is a 
niamnaoth piece of machinery for agri- 
cultural purposes. The plow and steam- 
engine are separate, and a practical farmer 
would be inclined to regard the man that 
conceived either of them to be an im- 
becile. In the first place, the engine is 
nearly as large and fully as heavy as a 
small locomotive. Its wheels, which are 
cogged, so as to retain a" hold on the 
ground, are twelve inches wide, and the 
whole engine cannot weigh less than six 
tons. The plow is another immense iron 
apparatus, with two gangs of six plows 
each, one gang to be used in crossing a 
field, and the other in returning, so as not 
to require the unwieldy machine to be 
turned around. The apparatus to which 
the plows ai-e attached, which is on 
wheels also, is fully thirty feet long, 
made entirely of cast and wrought iron, 
and the plows are each nearly twice the 
size of those in ordinary use. Each is 
ranged alwut one foot in advance of its 
next neighbor. 

The apparatus looks strong enough and 
powerful enough to plow up Captain 
Jack's lava beds; but we have never seen 
any ground fit for agricultural purposes 
that could carry such a weight as is here 
massed, wfthout taking it in at least to 
the hulis. 

England presents a great mass of agri- 
cultural machinery, some of it of mam- 
moth proportions, intended doubtless as 
playthings for its aristocratic farmers. 
There is one threshing and cleaning ma- 
chine consideral)ly larger than many of 
the cabins in which the agricultural la- 
borers and their families live. Both 
France and England, hoAvever, present 
much that is useful and valuable, and are 
evidently finding it necessary to econo- 
mize liunian lalior. 

There will be a test of plows and 
reapers about the end of June, when 
America expects to win the prize. Both 
the English and French machines are 
pirated from ours, and are of course in- 
ferior. The whole world seems to have 
gone to Avork to steal the American sew- 
ing-machine, as every nation except the 
heathen has a large number of ma- 
chines on deposit. But we do not intend 
to attempt to give any idea of the Expo- 
sition. It is too vast even for a general 
notice, and any serious attempt to de- 
scribe it would be regarded by the out- 
side world as an exagijeration. 



STRAUSS S MUSIC. 

AVe spent last evening in the Volksgar- 
ten, sipping our coifee, and listening to 
the great Strauss Band, of sixty profes- 
sors, led by Edmund Strauss himself. 
Such music is never heard in our concert- 
rooms, not even from Theodore Thomas 
and his excellent orchestra. They lack 
the fire and enthusiasm which Strauss 
imparts to his whole band. Whilst lead- 
ing, every member of his body is in mo- 
tion, arms, legs, hands, feet, and head 
are swinging to and fro, and in the more 
stirring parts even the performers join in 
the motions. It is certainly live music, 
and lacks the funeral tone in which we 
are accustomed to hear scientific music 
rendered. Most of the pieces performed 
were either his own or those of his bro- 
ther, interspersed with some selections 
from Mendelssohn. '' Ein Stuck Wien," 
the " Music of the Spheres," and other 
of the Strausses' compositions were pro- 
duced ; and by request of some American 
ladies he gave the "Beautiful Blue Dan- 
ube," as only this gi-eat band could render 
it. An amusing incident occurred in con- 
nection with the request of the ladies. 
One of the waiters being requested to 
carry the card to the great leader and 
composer, positively declined to do so, as 
he had taken such a request to him on a 
former occasion, and had been told that 
" none but crowned heads could have 
such requests complied with." The ladies, 
having assured the waiter that we are all 
sovereigns in America, deputed one of the 
gentlemen to carry up the request, and in 
due time we had the "Blue Danube," and 
it was repeated in an encore. In this and 
all his own pieces, Strauss led with the 
violin, occasionally joining in the most 
difficult parts. lie is a very fine-looking 
man, in the prime of life, and dresses 
with great taste and elegance. lie affects 
the aristocrat by having a servant always 
following at his heels, in livery, carrying 
his umbrella, extra coats, and mufiiings. 

STREET SCENES IN VIENNA. 

Yesterday being the first clear day for 
a month, the streets in all parts of the city 
were thronged with people, and among 
the stores, on shopping intent, the display 
of finely-dressed ladies was larger than 
we have ever seen in a European city. 
They trailed their dresses in the dust with 
all the freedom of our Baltimore belles, 
and, what seems to be peculiar here, the 
white underskirts were of the same length, 
and were trailed on the streets in company 



40 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



with their silks, satins, and velvets. They 
were suggestive of not very nice reflections 
as to the probable condition of the ankles 
of their wearers on returning from their 
promenade. 

In the old portions of the city the streets 
are as narrow and crooked as those of the 
old parts of Naples, and the houses from 
four to five and sometimes six stories in 
height. The streets are all paved with 
the Belgian square blocks, and are kept 
scrupulously clean, mostly by voluntary 
scavengers, who are always at hand to 
gather up any dirt that may be found. 
They make their living by the sale of the 
manure they thus forage for. These nar- 
row streets are lined with elegant stores 
of all descriptions, including dry goods, 
fancy goods, jewelry, and laces. They 
generally lead into squares occupied as 
markets and ornamented with fountains 
and statues. 

There are no beggars to be seen on the 
streets, except blind ones, and these mostly 
perform on some instrument. We passed 
this morning a company of five blind mu- 
sicians, playing together on the violin and 
accordeon with considerable skill. A box 
before them received the deposits of the 
charitable, and they stood against the wall 
and played without knowing what suc- 
cess they were meeting with pecuniarily. 

The only men or women to be seen in 
the streets of Vienna who do not look 
and dress very much as we look and dress 
at home are the Bohemians and Polish 
Jews. The latter wear the long, closely- 
buttoned black coat, trailing upon the 
ground, which their ancestors wore, a 
blfick skull-cap, and a long, curled side- 
lock protruding. The Bohemians are 
an Italian-looking set of people. The 
women wear dresses made of old white 
blankets, whilst the men wear coats made 
of sheep-skins Avith the wool on. They 
seem to be poor outcasts, for whom no one 
cares. 

The finest-looking class of men in Vi- 
enna are the Hungarians. There are a 
great many Hungarian regiments here, 
and the men average fully five inches 
more in height than the Austrian s. The 
Hungarian ofiicers are pi'oud of their per- 
sonal appearance, and walk the streets 
or stroll through the gardens with the air 
of men who know that they are the olyects 
of personal admiration. Their uniforms 
are also gay and attractive. 

THE VIENNA JEHUS. 

The carriage-drivers of Vienna are all 
great scamps, and pay no regard to the 



law unless they happen to fall into the 
hands of a German, who gives the legal 
charge and walks quietly off, paying no 
attention to their abusive language. To 
a stranger they are such rufiians that 
most forelgi^ers escape their clutches by 
riding in the street cars, which carry pas- 
sengers to all sections of the city for about 
five cents. Fast and reckless driving is 
the ru»'e in Vienna, and pedestrians must 
get out of their way or be run over. They 
dash along at a furious speed, even through 
the narrow streets, let them be ever so 
crowded, and never hold up or check their 
horses f(5r old or young. Police-oflicers 
are stationed at some of the most crowded 
points, but they appear to think that their 
duty consists only in picking up those 
who have been run over. The drivers are 
the only people in Vienna who drink in- 
toxicating liquors, and they are just the 
same kind of people as drunkards in 
America. 

Courts and arcades, running through 
the middle of squares, from street to street, 
many of them lined with stores, are to be 
found in all sections of the city. By 
passing through these the throng of car- 
riages can be escaped by pedestrians, and 
when one becomes acquainted with the 
labyrinth of by-ways the facility of pass- 
ing from one point to another is very great. 

FUNERALS BY CONTRAfT. 

The system of conducting funerals in 
Vienna is quite novel. There are funeral 
companies, which, for a fixed price, attend 
to all the details and deposit tlTe cofiin in 
the ground. They take charge of the 
body, prepare it for the grave, furnish the 
hearse and carriages, and act themselves 
as pall-bearers. The hearse is black, Avith 
dead-black horses, and driver clothed in 
the blackest of black, whilst at its four 
corners are immense bunches of black 
ostrich feathers. Alongside the hearse 
the burial society march, all clothed in 
black, with bl.ack cocked hats, and swords 
at their sides. The carriages that follow 
are only used for funerals, and are gloomy- 
looking vehicles, with black horses and 
solemn-looking drivers, arrayed in the 
same color. The cost is graded according 
to the number of black knights in attend- 
ance, the number of carriages, and the 
display of plumes. This system is uni- 
versal in Vienna, and it has the advan- 
tage of fixing the price and steering clear 
of all extra charges. So, also, people 
can provide during life for their funerals 
by paying the amount required to one of 
these associations. 



A MERICAN SPECTA CL ES. 



41 



WEDDING PECULIARITIES. 

There is a peculiarity not only in fu- 
nerals, but also in weddings, in Vienna. 
Among tiie middle classes a wedding- 
party, in going to church, instead of" 
securing closed carriages, employ open 
barouches. The bride and bridesmaid, 
with the groom and groomsmen and rela- 
tives, all seated in these open carriages, the 
ladies with white dresses and veils, with- 
out bonnets, fully intent on being seen, and 
carrying immense bouquets, pass through 
the crowded streets. If the weather is 
fine, after the ceremony is over they pro- 
ceed to the Prater and join in the fash- 
ionable afternoon drive. Whether this is 
the only bridal tour they take, we are 
not yet well enough versed in Austrian 
habits to say. It is, however, a very 
pretty sight, and adds considerable zest 
to the enjoyment of a drive on the Pra- 
ter. There is no more pleasing spectacle 
than a bride fi-esh from the altar, being 
suggestive to the younger portion of the 
spectators, and a reminder to the old folks 
of their own happy experiences in the long- 
flown past. 

THE ROYAL JEWELS. 

Among the curiosities of Vienna are 
the royal jewels, deposited in the Treasury 
Department. These halls are always 
thronged with strangers gazing upon the 
diamonds of the Empress and the jewels 
of the Emperor, which are kept in glass 
cases when not required for use. The 
crowns are also here, each a mass of dia- 
monds and sapphires, also the celebrated 
diamond weighingone hundred and thirty- 
three carats, valued at one hundred and 
twenty-five thousand dollars, with the 
diamond buttons of the royal coat and 
vest, and the glittering orders of the Em- 
peror, one of which contains one hun- 
dred and fifty diamonds. The necklaces, 
brooches, and othei- jeweled ornaments of 
the Empress are very numerous and ex- 
tremely brilliant, though a great many of 
them have been just removed to be worn 
at the reception of the visiting Emperors 
of Russia and Germany. Among the curi- 
osities here deposited are the gold and 
jeweled cradle presented to the First 
Napoleon for the use of his son the 
Duke of Reichstadt, the royal robe and 
sceptre of Napoleon, and the regalia of 
Charlemagne. There is also in one of the 
cases, set in a gold and jeweled frame, a 
piece of the tablecloth on which Christ 
is said to have communed with his disci- 
ples ; and another contains a piece of 
the towel with which he wiped their feet. 



the lance which pierced the Saviour, frag- 
ments of the cross, etc. Of course they 
are all genuine. 

THE VIRTUE OF THE EMPIRE. 

Public gossip in Vienna represents the 
Emperor and Empress as by no means 
very happy in their conjugal relations. 
Her photographs in the windows show her 
to be a very handsome woman, about 
thirty-five years of age. She is said to be 
of remarkable intelligence and sprightli- 
ness of manner. The royal palace is in 
the heart of the city, and the Emperor re- 
sides in one wing of it and she in another, 
living entirely apart except when they 
meet on state occasions. He lives a very 
loose life, and, like the kings of the olden 
times, has an abundance of female favor- 
ites. Corruption and lack of virtue are 
the predominant traits of the court of 
the Empire, though the Empress is re- 
garded as a pure and exemplary woman. 
This, at least, is the general conviction 
of the people; and, judging from the fact 
that there are annually born in the gen- 
eral hospital from ten to twelve thousand 
illegitimate children, Vienna may fairly be 
set down as a city of very loose virtue in all 
grades of life. The Viennese are quite a 
different class of people from the staid 
and solid population of Prussia and 
Northern Germany, resembling more the 
French and Italians in their habits and 
modes of life. 

LIFE AMONG THE PEOPLE. 

The youth and flower of the young 
men being forced into the army, there are 
not many youthful marriages in Austria, 
and among the working classes the excess 
of females over males is perhaps greater 
than in any other civilized country. This 
of itself causes great demoralization, and 
is one cause of so many females being 
compelled to resort to manual labor. 
The soldier cannot marry unless he has 
means of support independent of his pay, 
and even the officers receive barely suf- 
ficient to keep themselves in decent ap- 
pearance. When a young Austrian of 
the lower classes does really marry, he 
regards himself as having made a great 
personal sacri'.ice, and as having con- 
ferred a prodigious honor upon the girl 
he has taken to himself. From that 
moment she is to be his humble slave, 
to work and toil and strive for his com- 
fort. Even if she brings in by her own 
labor as much money to the joint stock 
as he does, all must pass through his 
hands, and be used first for his comfort 



42- 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and enjoyment. The wife must scrape 
together what she eats at home, whilst he 
spends his evenings eating and drinking 
in the restaurants. If they happen to be 
traveling, the husband walks from the 
depot with his cigar in his mouth and his 
hands in his pockets, whilst the wife 
trudges on behind with the valise and 
bundles, and, as in a case we witnessed 
last Saturday, also actually carrying the 
hat-box of her husband. If they happen 
to have children they trudge by the side 
of the mother also, or, if too small, are 
piled up somewhere among the bundles. 
The young Austi-ian is a peg above carry- 
ing bundles. 

A TRADE NOTION. 

The leading dry-goods, jewelry, and 
fancy stores of Vienna are each known 
by some fancy name. If a lady has 
bought a piece of jewelry she does not say, 
I bought it at Oanfield's, at Warner's, 
at Larmour's, or at Webb's, as with us, 
but at the AVhite Swan, the Black Bird, 
the White Dove, or the Humming-Bird ; 
or if silks or satins have been the article 
purchased, she does not say, I bought 
them at Kos Parker's, at Easter's, or at 
Fugle's, but at the Bed Lion, the Spotted 
Leopard, or the Gazelle. The proprietors 
are never known or mentioned, and the 
receipt for any purchase made is to the 
Lion, or the Swan, as the case may be. 
This is a good idea, as the death of the 
propr'etor would not damage the business, 
and the bereaved widow could sell out the 
establishment to much greater advantage, 
or carry it on herself. 

TELEGRAPH POLES. 

The telegraph poles through the streets 
of Vienna are immense cast-iron affairs. 
Indeed, it would be impossible for wooden 
poles to carry such a mass of wires. The 
poles on the Ringstrasse each carry 
eighty-four wires, and on the line of the 
river sixty-four. This indicates the ex- 
tent to which the telegraph is made use 
of by the government. The telegraph is 
under government control, and the cost of 
dispatches is much cheaper than with us. 

AMERICAN DRINKS. 

The warm weather had its effect on one 
liranch of Americanism on exhibition 
here. A month ago the impression was 
V ry general that the American bars 
would do a very jioor business, on account 
of the high cost of their drinks, as well 
as from the fact that a half-gallon of beer 
could be had for the cost of one of their 
fancy glasses. They were then occasion- 



ally drunk as a matter of curiosity, and 
several Germans could be now and then 
seen at one of the tables with a solitary 
"cobbler" or "cocktail," each taking an 
occasional suck through the straw, and 
discussing its merits. It was a mere test- 
ing process, each, according to German 
custom, paying his share of the expense. 
Yesterday, however, the American bars 
were thronged with visitors, and the col- 
ored waiters, who are decided objects of 
curiosity, were kept busy filling their 
orders. These waiters are a sharp set of 
fellows, most of them from New York, and 
are of all shades, from the coal-black to 
the yellow pine. The former tell many 
amusing stories of their experience, and 
they seem to enjoy the inspection that 
they are constantly su])ject to. They have 
picked up a little German, but are each 
provided with a price-list, which they hand 
to the customer, who points out the article 
he desires. The following is a list of the 
plain American drinks that our German 
friends are beginning to learn to like, 
which are served up, smothered in crushed 
ice, at thirty, fifty, sixty, and eighty 
kreutzers each, or at fifteen, twenty-five, 
thirty, and forty cents in American cur- 
rency, under the title of " American 
Mixed Drinks:" 

Apple jack and cocktail-Jersey, brandy 
and soda (English), brandy champarelle, 
brandy crusta, brandy fix, brandy julep, 
brandy punch, brandy sangaree, brandy 
sling, brandy smash, brandy sour, brandy 
toddy, Baltimore egg-nogg, Boehm & 
Wiehl's favorite, claret cup, claret cob- 
bler, claret punch, claret sangaree, 
Catawba cobbler, Catawba punch, cham- 
pagne punch, champagne cobbler, cham- 
pagne cocktail, egg flip, eye-opener, 
French cocktail, gin cocktail, gin julep, 
gin crusta, gin punch, gin sling, gin 
smash, gin sour, gin toddy, hock cobbler, 
John Collins (English), Indian wigwam 
punch, Jamaica rum punch, Jamaica rum 
sour, Knickerbocker, lemonade (plain), 
lemonade (with a stick), lemonade (fan- 
cy), milk punch. Metropolitan punch 
(U.S.A.), pousse cafe (New York style), 
pousse cafe (New Orleans), pectoral (Cu- 
ban), port wine sangaree, pine-apple 
punch, port wine flip, porteree, phlegm- 
cutter, sherry and bitters (plain), sherry 
and egg, sherry cobbler, Shanghai Sara- 
toga, soda cocktail, St. Croix fix, St. Croix 
sour, St. Croix punch, whisky cocktail, 
whisky punch, whisky julep, and old 
Kentucky, whisky sling, whisky smash, 
whisky sour. 

The champagne punches and cobblers 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



43 



are a florin and a half each, or seventy- 
five cents in our money. The pUiin drinks, 
which are equally numerous, ran^^e from 
twenty to forty cents each, or forty kreut- 
zers and upwards. Fifteen per cent, of 
all the receipts, however, go to the Expo- 
sition fund. 



Hotel Austria, Vienna, June 2, 1873. 

THE WEATHER AGAIN. 

We expected to see Vienna yesterday 
enjoying one of its most strictly observed 
holidays, it being Whitsunday, but from 
daylight in the morning until ten o'clock 
at night there was an incessant rain- 
storm, and so cold and disagreeable that 
we were glad to spend most of the day 
in-doors. To-day is Whitmonday, a gen- 
eral holiday ; and, as the day dawned 
bright and beautiful, we started out early 
to see something of the mode in wliich 
the Austrians observe this annual festi- 
val. 

WHITMONDAY IN VIENNA. 

This is one of the most universally 
observed holidays in Austria, and before 
nine o'clock in the morning the Avhole 
population appeared to be in motion on 
the streets, arrayed in their best attire, 
whilst business was entirely suspended, 
which is far from being the case on 
Sundays. The cars and omnibuses were 
crowded, and carriages laden with women 
and children were moving in everj^ direc- 
tion. On the Ringstrasse, in the vicinity 
of the Imperial Palace, and along the 
road extending out towards Schonbrunn, 
or the Summer Palace, where the Em- 
peror of Russia is quartered, three thou- 
sand policemen were stationed, in their 
handsome uniform, with swords at their 
sides, keeping the road clear for the 
royal cortege, which was momentarily 
expected to come into the city with the 
royal guests. From nine o'clock until 
eleven the streets for miles were lined 
with an immense mass of men, women, 
and children, waiting to get a glimpse at 
royalty. It reminded us of crowds that 
sometimes congregate on Baltimore Street 
to witness the parade of the Fifth Regi- 
ment, or the entrance of Dan Rice's cir- 
cus, and the people appeared to be equally 
patient, standing in the first warm sun 
of the season. Our patience was not 
equal to the task of waiting for the royal 
pleasure, and at eleven o'clock we pro- 
ceeded to the Exposition. IIow long the 
people were kept waiting we did not as- 
certain. 



VIENNA THEATRICALS. 

In addition to the Opera House, there 
are a large number of theatres in Vienna, 
of all grades. Those of the better class 
all have private boxes, occupying more 
than half of the house, rented by the 
year to families. In front of all the the- 
atres, for two hours before the doors are 
open, there are throngs of men and 
women ready to rush in and secure the 
best of the seats that have not been 
taken. Then there are what are called 
"standing seats," and the rush to secure 
a good position to stand in is equally 
great. There are no reserved seats, and 
no choice is allowed. You ask for as 
many seats as you may desire in the 
parquet or upper tier, and you are given 
numbered tickets, but are not allowed to 
select them. The speculators, by collu- 
sion with the ticket-clerks, generally se- 
cure the best seats, and sell them at an 
advance to strangers and others who may 
desire to attend. Sometimes they get 
''stuck," as the newsboys say, and then 
tickets can be obtained very cheap after 
the curtain rises. At the Grand Opera 
all the seats are taken two days in ad- 
vance, either by bona fide purchasers or 
by the speculators. On Wednesday even- 
ing there is to be a grand performance 
at the Opera House in honor of the Em- 
peror of Russia, and all grades of roy- 
alty Avill be present. The ticket-office on 
Monday morning opened at nine o'clock 
for the sale of tickets for Wednesday 
night, and has been besieged for three 
hours by a struggling and excited throng 
of people. Those who wanted tickets had 
to employ strong and rough men to 
" wade in," and in a half-hour every seat 
was sold. We were on hand in good time, 
with an experienced friend, but wei-e told 
when we reached the ticket-office that 
the tickets were all gone. There is no 
doubt that the speculators secured them 
all, and that there is collusion between 
them and the sellers, as the first twenty- 
five who reached the window seemed to 
have taken the whole, and we, with many 
others, were disappointed. But this, we 
are told, is a daily scene at the Opera 
House, all the tickets being sold two days 
in advance. The few boxes that are for 
sale could not be had before Wednesday, 
and we shall be compelled to forego the 
opportunity of witnessing this perform- 
ance of " Faust" before the crowned 
heads of Russia and Austria, and all the 
scions of royalty of greater or less de- 
gree. The audience are requested to 



44 



EUEOFE VIEWED THROUGH 



appear in full dress as far as practicable, 
which means that the ladies must appear 
without bonnets, and in light dresses, and 
the gentlemen with yellow or white kids, 
and white neckties. 

EARLY TO BED. 

There is a city ordinance which re- 
quires the front doors of all dwelling- 
houses to be locked by the piorters at ten 
o'clock at night. Those returning home 
after that hour, and rousing the porter, are 
required to pay him ten groschen (about 
five cents), and if after twelve o'clock, 
twenty groschen. As there are few 
dwellings in which there are not from ten 
to twenty families, this ordinance has al- 
most universal application ; consequently, 
at a quarter of ten o'clock there is a gen- 
eral getting home, and the cafes and res- 

IT 

taurants are soon vacated. It seems sin- 
gular that there should be such a law in 
a city witli a populatioi^, of nearly one 
million. The streets are usually very 
quiet after ten o'clock. 

BUILDING ASSOCIATIOXS. 

The building associations of Vienna are 
on an entirely different basis from those 
in the United States. They consist of 
comliinations of capitalists, who purchase 
land and build houses and hotels, and either 
sell them or rent and hold them. They 
have in their employ architects, engineers, 
and superintendents for every department 
of construction, and even contract to put 
up public buildings as Avell as private 
structures. They own their brick-j'ards 
and saw-mills, and have almost entirely 
displaced what is known among us as 
the master-builder. The new hotels that 
have sprung up so rapidly are all the 
property of building associations, and 
these have secured possession of every lot 
of vacant ground on the Ringstrasse but 
one. They also purchase every piece of 
private property that is offered for sale, 
and run up the rents upon the tenants at 
a fearful rate. The population of the city 
increases so rapidly that the demand for 
rooms is always in excess of the supply, 
which is one reason why it has always 
been more costly to live in Vienna than 
in any other European city. 

These building associations have also 
in their employ all the best artistic talent 
required in finishing and ornamenting the 
fronts of buildings. This has become a 
necessity of the style of building, and it 
would almost puzzle our friends Hugh 
Sisson and Samuel Bevans to say at 



a glance whether these elaborately or- 
namented fronts are of stone or of its 
counterfeit presentment. Indeed, the cor- 
nices, lintels, architraves, balustrades, and 
statues of Cupids, fairies, athletes, and 
military figures, holding up or hovering 
over balconies and doorways, are much 
more artistic in design and execution than 
similar devices cut out of the solid stone 
to be seen elsewhere. These fronts, being 
backed by brick walls, commencing w'ith 
a thickness of four to five feet, and taking 
on the cornice, Avith a solid backing of 
not less than two feet, seem to be as dur- 
able as stone. The walls are all laid in 
cement; and a crack in the plaster, a 
broken wing of a Cupid, a damaged nose 
to a statue, a limping fawn, or any evi- 
dence of the action of the Aveather, is 
never seen. The fronts, extending gen- 
erally from eighty to three hundred feet, 
are among the finest specimens of archi- 
tectural skill and beauty of design, and a 
stranger first viewing them is likely to 
suppose himself to be in a city of grand 
hotels, but looks in vain for a sign to in- 
dicate their character. They often oc- 
cupy a whole block, and are built with- 
out shutters, but all have double sets of 
glazed sashes, and between these sashes 
there is generally a Venetian blind, by 
which the rooms can be darkened Avhen 
necessai'y. The double sashes are re- 
garded as keeping the heat out in sum- 
mer and the cold out in winter, and 
even the smaller houses are all supplied 
with them. The distance between the 
two sets of folding sashes is about seven 
inches, and in the hotels and the better 
class of dwelling-houses there is always 
a cushion, just fitting between the sashes, 
encased in white linen, to lean upon when 
looking out of the window. The law re- 
quires the stairways of .all buildings to be 
entirely of stone, and they are invariably 
so constructed in half-circular form, with 
iron balusters from the cellar to the roof. 
This is intended to be, and is, a great 
security from fire, which is very im- 
portant, in view of the large number of 
families living in each house. 

THE VIENNA BOURSE. 

The Siock Exchange, or Bourse, of 
Vienna, increases so rapidly that it can- 
not furnish accommodations for its mem- 
bers. It vacated its old building some 
years since for a new one on the Ring- 
strasse, which occupies two-thirds of a 
square. It has long since outgrown this, 
and during 'Change hours even the streets 
around it are thronged. The board is 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



45 



now, however, erecting an immense struc- 
ture on the Ringstrasse, nearly opposite 
our hotel, which has just reached its 
first story. I should judge its size to he 
about four times that of the Baltimore 
Custom-IIouse, Post-office and Merchants' 
Bank building combined. It will be of 
nearly double the size of the Paris Bourse, 
and will add another to the many beau- 
tiful structures now rising along this 
great thoroughfare. 

VIENNA LOCALS. 

The bricks used for Iniilding-piirposes 
in Vienna are twelve inches long, six 
inches in breadth, and three and a half 
inches thick. Immense quantities of 
them are used in the construction of a 
house, as all division-walls of rooms are 
of brick, and the outer walls generally 
are double as thick as they are with us. 

All the most menial work in Vienna is 
done by women, such as cleaning and 
sweeping the streets, gathering up gar- 
bage, carrying water and pumping it 
from the cisterns to the reservoirs in the 
upper stories, sawing wood, etc. Woman 
has the "right" to do a man's work in 
Austria, and, as the "lords of creation" 
have no rights of their own, she is on full 
equalitv here. They are also the carriers 
for all the newspapers. 

There are plenty of fleas in Vienna, 
notwithstanding the cold weather. The 
natives never feel them, however, nor do 
any other Europeans except the English. 
They seem to have a special fondness for 
American ladies, but do not approach 
them in such hordes as in Italy. Still, 
there are sufficient to keep up a pretty 
continual irritation. 

No one in Vienna chews tobacco, and 
there is none on sale anywhere. Cigars 
are manufactured by the government, and 
are sold only at stores where nothing else 
is sold except postage stamps. They are 
at fixed prices, the lowest costing four 
kreutzers and the highest eight, or about 
four cents in our currency. The latter 
are about equal in quality to American 
domestic cigars that bring three dollars 
per hundred. A single cigar is sold here 
at the same rate as if one thousand were 
purchased. 

The lottery system is in full blast in 
Austria, under the sanction and authority 
of the government, and flaming posters 
on the street-corners promise immense 
prizes, as was the case in Baltimoi'e 
during the palmy days of France, Broad- 
))ent & Co. 



OBJECTS OP PLUNDER. 

The people of Vienna seem determined 
to impress the whole world with the con- 
viction that whenever a stranger stops 
here he must expect to be regarded as an 
object of lawful plunder by all with whom 
he is liable to come in contact. The gov- 
ernment has done all in its power to at- 
tract the whole world to Vienna, and has 
gotten up an Exposition that all the 
world ought to see, but the world doesn't 
come, and won't come. Although there 
are more strangers here this week than 
there were last week, there are scarcely as 
many as will be attracted to Baltimore 
during the Jockey Club races. Three 
days is the limit they give themselves for 
remaining in a city almost as beautiful 
and attractive as Paris, and where most 
of them would be glad to remain for 
a month if they could expect fair and 
honest treatment. Even when they visit 
the cafes and gardens, if they are not 
under German protection the waiters will 
charge them double prices for everything. 
To attempt to employ a commissioner is 
to have two rascals to pay instead of one. 
The city may be beautiful, and its at- 
tractions multiplied, but it will never 
rival Paris until some protection is ex- 
tended to strangers and they are not so 
persistently " taken in and done for." 

LIVING IN VIENNA. 

The better class of people deplore this 
condition of affiiirs, and some of the 
papers denounce and ridicule the extor- 
tionists, but it has no effect. They have 
all built great expectations of fortune 
from the Exposition, and persist in grasp 
ing at every florin that can be reached. 
An American gentleman, from Baltimore, 
told me that he employed a commis- 
sionnaire to go to a store with him to 
make some purchases, and, on leaving, 
observed the storekeeper drop two ten- 
florin gold pieces into the hand of the 
commissionnaire. This was his pay for 
bringing such good fish to his net. Hence 
it is" that travelers who spend so much 
money in European cities seldom pur- 
chase anything in Vienna. 

Notwithstanding all this, both shopping 
and living in Vienna, to those who speak 
the language and are sharp enough to pro- 
tect themselves from fraud, are nearly as 
cheap as in any other European city. An 
American gentleman who has been resid- 
ing here for a year and a half assured me 
that it did not cost him more than fifty 
dollars, or one hundred florins, per month 
to live as satisfactorily as he woul 1 in a 



46 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



hotel. He has his furnished room and at- 
tendance for thirty florins per month, and 
lives at the cafes and restaurants for two 
florins, or a dollar, per day. A stranger, 
not understanding the language, would 
fare but little better at six dollars per 
day. 

SHOPPING IN VIENNA. 

In all the large shops of Vienna prices 
are enormously high, as compared with 
the charges in neighboring cities. There 
are seldom fixed prices marked on the 
goods here, as is almost universally the 
case in Paris, and the price is fixed after 
you enter the store, according to the 
judgment of the storekeeper as to the 
verdancy of the purchaser. The smaller 
stores are more honorable in their dealing, 
and those who know whei-e to find tbem 
can make purchases as cheap here as at 
Berlin or Dresden, though not so cheap as 
in Paris or London. English and French 
goods are much higher here than any- 
where else in Europe. 

The residents of Vienna are, however, 
able to buy everything they desire at 
very fair prices, and Americans, after 
they are here long enough to learn " the 
ropes" and the language, say that they 
have but little cause to complain. What 
they may pay additional for the material 
is more than balancod by the cheapness 
of making it up as compared even with 
Paris prices ; though the fashionable 
modistes charge fashionable prices also, 
and pay their sewing girls about twenty- 
five cents per day. 

AUSTRIAN GERMANS. 

The Austrian Germans are an entirely 
different class of people from the Ameri- 
can Germans, or at least ihose Germans 
who usually come to America. They are 
more like the Italians or French in their 
dispositions and modes of life, as well as 
in their vivacity and impetuosity. They 
are neither frugal nor careful of their 
earnings, but will spend the proceeds of 
a week's work in a half-day's enjoyment. 
The better classes are given to specula- 
tion and money ventures of all kinds, 
and are lavish in their personal expendi- 
ture when they are in funds. Even those 
who prey upon the sojourner in their 
midst seem to regard it rather as 
shrewdness and smartness in business 
than as practical dishonesty. If any- 
thing is bought at a store, when it is sent 
to th.e hotel with the bill, two or three 
florins are added to the price originally 
agreed upon, under the plea that it was a 



mistake. If you refuse to pay it, the 
dealer will shrug his shoislders like a 
Frenchman, and exclaim, "Well, I will 
have to lose it!" He will relate to his 
friends all these small specimens of ras- 
cality as a practical joke, and draw out 
others of a similar character from his 
hearers in return. The same man will 
probabl}' at the next moment throw all 
the amount he has thus gained to the 
waiter-boys at the caf^-table. 

But the most marked difference be- 
tween the Austrians and the Prussians 
is the lack of virtue among a large class 
of the women, and the fact that a hus- 
bandless mother stands as fair in public 
estimation as the mother of a child born 
in wedlock. Iler reputation among her 
friends and associates is as bright as be- 
fore her fall, and these little irregulari- 
ties are no bar against her subsequent 
marriage. Italy is supjiosed to be the 
most immoral country in the world, but 
we have seen and heard enough here to 
convince us that Austria is close on her 
heels. The fact that about ten thousand 
illegitimate children are born in the gen- 
eral hospital in this city every year is 
proof positive of the laxity of the public 
morals. 

Notwithstanding all this, there is but 
little to be seen, on the streets or in the 
public places, of licentious women. There 
is no place here for these professionals, 
as it is mainly the working girls who are 
thus led astray, who are victims rather 
of the affections, and of this loose public 
sentiment, and can scarcely be classed 
among those who sell themselves for the 
greed of gain and a life of gilded vice. The 
common soldier in Austria cannot marry 
during his time of service, but he inva- 
riably forms a temporary female alliance 
wherever he may be stationed, and neither 
party is degraded by the connection. 
The "mothers of the children born at the 
h('S]Mtal return to their work, and the 
children are sent to the Foundling Hospi- 
tal, where three-fifths of them die. Such 
a cimdition of society and public senti- 
ment has its effect, more or less, upon 
all grades of life, and virtue is regarded 
pretty generally as at a discount. Even 
the pictorial papers here constantly pub- 
lish cartoons illustrative of the state of 
morals. One, the other day, was the 
figure of a stranger just arriving in 
front of a hotel with his wife, and two 
young girls pointing and laughing at 
them. To a questicm as to " AVhat are 
you laughing at?" the answer was, "We 
are laughing at the idea of a man being 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



47 



fool enough to bring a wife to Vienna." 
Everybody understood it, and eA'erybody 
laughed. 

" NIX DEUTSCH." 

There is another peculiarity about the 
Austrians that indicates how different 
they are from the North Germans. If you 
stop on the street, or before a window, 
any one that may be standing near is 
almost sure to address you, and your 
next neighbor in a passenger-car inva- 
riably persists in commencing a ccnveV- 
sation. Having endeavored in vain to 
make one of these talkative gentlemen 
comprehend that we did not understand 
a word he was saying, he finally looked 
puzzled, and exclaimed, " Nix Deutsch," 
to which we responded, "Yaw! nix 
Deutsch ;" and thus we took our first les- 
son in German. We were subsequently 
taught on all such occasions to exclaim, 
" Ich kann kein Deutsch sprechen," 
which, we suppose, is the same thing 
in more polished language. 

CONFIRMATIONS. 

During the whole of the past week, 
being Whitsuntide, throngs of children, 
with their parents, have been proceeding 
from all parts of the city to St. Stephen's 
Cathedral, wliich is the oldest and finest 
church structure in Vienna, having been 
built nearly seven hundred years ago. 
Here all the children of the city of proper 
age gather to be confirmed. Yesterday 
afternoon we di-opped in, and found lines 
of children, boys and girls, extending up 
and down both sides of the broad aisles, 
dressed mostly in white, with a white 
ribbon tied around their foreheads. The 
number present could not have been less 
than six hundred, and the venerable 
bishop was administering the rite of con- 
firmation, assisted by a number of priests. 
Three times a day, every day during the 
week, a similar number presented them- 
selves for confirmation. 

NEWSPAPERS OF VIENNA. 

There are quite a number of daily 
newspapers in Vienna, all of which pub- 
lish both morning and evening editions. 
They are not very famous as newspapers, 
except in recording the movements of 
royalty, but are teeming with advertise- 
ments. Most of them are owned by 
bankers and wealthy capitalists, and are 
used to bull and bear the stock markets. 
Some have the reputation of being regular 
blackmailing concerns, and extort money 
from banks, insurance companies, brokers, 
opera singers, performers, musical leaders. 



etc., who pay them for puffing up or for 
keeping silent with regard to the financial 
standing or capacity of such men and 
establishments. Two editors were re- 
cently arrested and imprisoned for de- 
manding ten thousand florins from a 
banker as the condition upon which they 
would withhold the publication of an 
article damaging to his financial standing. 
He pretended to agree to their demand, 
and, when they came to close the agree- 
ment, had two officers concealed in his 
room, who, on hearing their proposal, 
arrested them. 

The principal subscribers to the papers 
are the restaurants and cafes, most of 
which take a half-dozen copies of each 
paper for the use of their customers. As 
there are many thousands of these estab- 
lishments in the city, most of those who 
read the papers do so whilst eating their 
suppers or sipping their coffee. They 
are all sixteen-page papers, consider- 
ably smaller than Harper''s Weekly, and 
badly printed on very inferior paper. 
The size is small, that they may be con- 
venient for handling at the restaurant 
tables. 

A MUSICAL PEOPLE. 

During a week's sojourn in Berlin we 
never heard a band of music, except it 
was in attendance on a regiment of sol- 
diers. On more than one occasion we 
made an extended search to find a music 
hall or garden, such as we expected to 
find everywhere in a German city, but 
did not succeed in the effort. In Vienna, 
however, music appears to be a part of 
the sustenance of the people. We visited 
last night what is known as Vauxhall, 
a large garden on the Prater, the admis- 
sion to which was equal to about thirty 
cents in American money. Here we 
found three large orchestral bands sta- 
tioned in different parts of the garden, 
performing the choicest operatic airs. 
There were in the three orchestras over 
one hundred and fifty performers. Here 
the people sat, from four o'clock in the 
afternoon, many of them taking their 
supper, sipping their coffee, or drinking 
their beer. At nine o'clock quite a large 
music hall, with a stage, was thrown 
open, and a performance, consisting of 
comic dances, pantomimes, and juggling, 
commenced, one of the bands on the out- 
side taking position in the orchestra. 
This continued until after ten o'clock, 
and was very amusing, after which 
dancing commenced in the garden, and 
we left them at eleven o'clock apparently 



48 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



intent upon making a night of it. But 
there are similar concerts in the Priiter, 
and in all the Prater gardens, every after- 
noon and evening in the week, and the 
bands here, from Strauss's down, are ad- 
mitted to have no superiors and few 
equals in the world. 

Vienna, June 7, 1873. 
THE EXPOSITION. 

We spent yesterday at the Exposition, 
and it may seem strange to your readers 
when we assure them that, although this 
was the fourth day of our exploration, 
we scarcely visited any part of it that 
we had before examined. 

THE MACHINERY DEPARTSIENT. 

This vast building is a museum of 
wonders in mechanism, every nation 
being largely represented. The only ma- 
chinery that was yesterday in operation 
was the woolen and cotton-spinning and 
weaving machinery of the different coun- 
tries. This structure is nearly as long 
as the main building of the Exposition, 
and when the many thousand specimens 
of mechanism it contains are in opera- 
tion, it will become the greatest attrac- 
tion. At present it is very difficult to 
ascertain what many of these silent ma- 
chines are expected to accomplish, so 
strange and incomprehensible do many 
of them appear. The American depart- 
ment has in it about fifty pieces of 
machinery, to which belting is being 
applied, and will, it is thought, be 
very creditalile. There are none of those 
immense and ponderous machines which 
England and France have on exhibition, 
our deposits being all small labor-saving 
contrivances, which we expect to do their 
work and explain themselves when in 
motion. None of our locomotives or sta- 
tionary engines are exhibited, whilst all 
the nations on this side of the Atlantic 
have abundance of them. The locomo- 
tive engineers of America will be pleased 
to learn that the European practice of 
keeping the engineer exposed to storm 
and heat has been abandoned, and that 
among the numerous locomotives on ex- 
hibition there is not one that has not 
complete protection for the engineer, 
with windows through which to sight the 
road, to keep off the pelting of the storm, 
and break the cutting force of the wind. 
One year ago on the English roads the 
engineer was entirely without shelter; 
and it is pleasing to see that the English 
locomotive manufacturers have adopted 
this American innovation. 



There are at least fifty different varie- 
ties of the printing-press on exhibition, 
most of them being constructed on prin- 
ciples entirely different from the Ameri- 
can press, but all of them stealing what 
is known as the " Hoe fly," without which 
no power-press can be a success. The 
majority of these presses are from Aus- 
tria, France, and Prussia, and are very 
elegant pieces of mechanism. None of 
them are yet ready for the steam, though 
the work of attaching belting is in pro- 



THE AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY. 

Each nation has a separate building 
for the display of its agricultural ma- 
chinery. They are very finely constructed 
wooden buildings, that of England being 
more than three times as large as the 
IMaryland Institute, whilst France, Aus- 
tria, and Prussia have structures equally 
largo. Their agricultural buildings have 
in them hundreds of engines for farm 
work, constructed like locomotives on 
wheels. There are also steam-plows in 
great number, and thousands upon thou- 
sands of articles the inventors of which 
would have to "rise and explain" be- 
fore the spectator could conceive what 
they are intended for. It is impossible 
to convey to the reader any idea of the 
extent of these vast collections. Even 
Italy, which ten years ago did all her 
plowing with a sharpened log of wood, 
has quite a respectable display ; and al- 
though labor is so cheap in Europe, it 
is evident that the necessity of adopting 
labor-saving machinery is being uni- 
versally recognized. 

We yesterday measured the length of 
the engine and steam-plow on exhibition 
in the English department, built for the 
Grand Duke Albrecht of Austria, and 
found the plow-carriage to be twenty-one 
feet long, and the engine which is to pro- 
pel it fifteen feet long, making the whole 
apparatus when in motion forty-six feet 
in length. The Grand Duke, it appears, 
has immense landed possessions in Hun- 
gary, and is going to farm them on high- 
pressure principles. The practical farm- 
ers here look upon it as a huge joke. It 
cost the moderate sum of fifty thousand 
florins, or twenty-five thousand dollars. 

THE REFECTORIES, ETC. 

The refectories, cafes, and soda estab- 
lishments on the Exposition grounds, in- 
dependently of their being a necessity, 
are all well worth visiting as a matter of 
curiosity. Each nation has two or three, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



49 



and most of thorn are very extensive 
establishments, botli in-doors and out-of- 
doors. It is no unusual thing to see five 
hundred persons in and around one of 
these establishments taking refreshments 
at one time. The condition upon which 
they are permitted to sell is that fifteen 
per cent, of all their receipts be paid to 
the Austrian government : consequently 
it is not to be wondered at that they 
charge tolerably high prices. The Amer- 
ican bar, behind the music-stand, does a 
good business in American drinks during 
the afternoons, in good weather. Half 
a florin, or twenty-five cents, is charged 
for a sherry cobbler, and seventy kreut- 
zers for a mint julep. The same party, 
hailing from New York City, run all the 
American establishments, inside as well 
as outside, and, if they paid five thousand 
dollars for the privilege, as is alleged, 
will make a very poor business out of 
it. People taste the cobblers and juleps 
out of curiosity, but the German will 
never indulge much in such strong or 
costly drinks. As to the American cafes, 
there are too few English-speaking peo- 

Sle here to su])port them, and, whilst the 
erman establishments are so crowded 
that it is at all times difficult to get a 
table, everything looks bare and desolate 
at the American cafe. We took dinner 
there yesterday, in company with per- 
haps a dozen, whilst fully a thousand 
were at the two German restaurants in 
close proximity. Those Avho cannot 
speak English naturally shun an estab- 
lishment where they will not be under- 
stood. As almost ninety-nine-hundredths 
of the visitors to the Exposition are Ger- 
man-speaking, there is every probability 
that the American eating and drinking 
establishments will not be very profitable 
speculations, unless the cobblers and 
juleps save them. 

[During the excessively hot weather, 
which was very brief, the American bars 
did a good business ; but later in the sea- 
son they were totally abandoned. All 
went into bankruptcy, and were sold out 
and closed up. Beer triumphed in the 
contest, and continued to the close, even 
with the Americans and English, the 
favorite beverage of the Exposition 
ground. C. C. F.] 

ARTICLKS SOLD. 

A gr6at many persons have purchased 
articles on exhibition, with the expec- 
tation of being able to remove them im- 
• mediately. This was the case with a 
fashionable lady on her way to the 
4 



springs, who was charmed with a mag- 
nificent fan, which she intended to sport 
with during her summer tour. She paid 
down one hundred florins for it, and when 
she expected to receive the coveted treas- 
ure saw the seller appending a card to it, 
" Purchased by Mdme. von Smith for 
one hundred florins," and placing it back 
in the case. When she remonstrated, 
the lady was shown the rule, which for- 
bids the removal of anything until the 
close of the Exposition, on the 1st of 
November next, — after the end of the 
season for fans. A large number of 
pieces of statuary and machinery ax'e 
thus marked as sold. 

EXPENSE OF THE EXPOSITION. 

Philadelphia will have an expensive 
affair on her hands if she expects to rival 
Austria in the Exposition of 187G. The 
cost of erecting the buildings and pre- 
paring the grounds, even with the cheap 
labor of this country, has been forty-two 
millions of florins, or twenty millions of 
American dollars. The daily current 
expenses since it has been open have been 
fifteen thousand florins per day, or about 
seven thousand five hundred dollars. The 
receipts thus far have fallen short of the 
expenses ; though that is not likely to be 
the case in Philadelphia, as the visitors 
from any one of our large States will 
exceed the entire number of even Ger- 
man-speaking foreigners from all the sur- 
rounding nations that will visit Vienna. 
The great mass of the people in this part 
of the world never travel, for the reason 
that they have not the means to do so. 
The number of Englishmen who travel 
in Europe is hardly equal to those from 
the United States, whilst Frenchmen are 
at the present time too severely pressed 
financially to indulge in any sig'ht-seeing 
expenditures. Russians are here in goodly 
numbers, and there is a sprinkling of 
Italians and Swiss ; but it is evident that 
the authorities and people of Vienna have 
largely over-estimated the anticipated vis- 
itors. Then the great mass of the people 
of Vienna are poor, and will only visit 
the Exposition on the fifty-groschen days. 
Bai-on Schwartz, who has had supreme 
control in the management of everything 
in connection with the Exposition, is a 
man of great energy. He has gone on 
regardless of expense, haying expended 
more than double the sum originally es- 
timated. But it has grown in magnitude 
so rapidly that the first estimates as to 
space were found entirely inadequate. 
The buildings since constructed for agri- 



60 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



culture alone are almost equal to the 
original designs, and there are still piles 
of goods here that can find no space for 
exhibition. All Europe will, of course, 
be represented at Philadelphia, but it is 
doubtful whether any nation, except Eng- 
land, will make as good a show there as 
the United States does at this Exposition. 
Whatever may be the cost, it will not do 
for Philadelphia to make any backward 
step in its competition with Vienna, for 
as Vienna has outstripped France at the 
rate of five to one, so Philadelphia will 
be expected at least to equal, if not in- 
deed to exceed, Vienna. 

THE PRATER THRONGED. 

On the evening of Whitnionday the 
scene on the Prater, as we came in 
from the Exposition, was one that would 
have astonished the inhabitants of a 
quiet little city like Baltimore, or even 
New York. Five avenues branch off at 
different parts of the Exposition inclo- 
sure, and come to a point at the " Prater 
Stein." Each of them is over one hun- 
dred feet in length, and bordering on 
them are circuses, exhibitions of various 
kinds, and restaurants and cafes innu- 
merable. It being a general holiday, 
all Vienna, men, Avomen, and children, 
seemed to be here congregated, eating, 
drinking, and making themselves merr3^ 
As we passed through this merry scene, 
one hundred thousand visitors to the Ex- 
position were wending their way home- 
ward, the cars and omnibuses not being 
sufficient to accommodate one in twenty 
of them. At the " Prater Stein" all the 
avenues were literally massed with peo- 
ple, and those who have not been in 
Vienna can form no idea of the number 
this vast space can accommodate. As 
our ear moved along the Priiterstrasse 
the broad pavements and parts of the 
street were filled with a throng of men, 
women, and children, who had given up 
all hope of finding room in the cars, and 
were making their way homeward as 
rapidly as possible. The Prater is the 
favorite resort of the working classes, and 
most of it has been given up for their 
enjoyment, one only of the five avenues 
having been kept clear of the resorts at 
which they congregate in such vast num- 
bers on Sundays and holidays. 

SCENES ON THE PRATER. 

We spent the afternoon of yesterday 
on the Prater, and wandered about for 
several hours viewing the novel spectacle 
there presented. When there is a cattle- 



show at home there are generally half a 
dozen outside shows of giants, fat women, 
woolly horses, etc. ; but at the Vienna 
Exposition the outside shows number 
several hundred. All the monstrosities 
of the world have been collected, and for 
a mile the Prater is filled with them. 
Many of them have gone the rounds of 
the United States. There are half a dozen 
fat women, monkey shows, wax works. 
Punch and Judy, hippodromes, rotary 
swings, fortune-telling, tableaux vivants, 
dwarfs, and other attractions too numer- 
ous to mention, the admission to each of 
which is ten kreutzers, or about five cents, 
or twenty kreutzers for reserved seats. 
They have all constructed attractive 
houses, as they propose to remain here 
and shout forth the wonders they have on 
exhibition daily and nightly for the next 
five months. After strolling for a coui^le 
of hours among the wonders of creation, 
we proceeded to the promenade avenue, 
where, securing chairs, we remained until 
eight o'clock in the evening, viewing the 
fashion and beauty of Vienna taking its 
evening airing. From five to eight o'clock 
all the fine turn-outs of the city were on 
these avenues, passing and repassing, 
whilst the sidewalks were thronged with 
gentlemen and ladies. Several military 
bands are stationed also at the large 
and fashionable restaurants bordering the 
Prater ; and many of those in carriages 
alight, join friends in a cup of coffee or 
mug of beer, and resume their drive. 
The "Emperor and the Empress frequently 
enliven the scene by their presence, with 
a throng of courtiers, and there was some 
expectation that the Czar of Russia might 
have honored it with a visit yesterday, 
but ro^yalty did not put in an appear- 
ance. The drive is about two miles long, 
extending beyond the Exposition grounds, 
and with the pavements, and the trotting 
road, is fully two hundred feet wide. Fine 
rows of trees are on both sides of it, and 
here, either riding or walking, the fashion 
of Vienna daily assemble in good weather. 
The portion of the Prjiter in which the 
shows, amusements, and circuses are, is 
fully a half-mile from the Exposition, and 
bordering on the edge of the city. They 
are located everywhere in and around the 
numerous beer-gardens, and all seemed 
to be doing a thriving business. 

SCENE ON THE GROUNDS. 

Wonderful as are the buildings proper 
of the Exposition, and magnificent as 
is the display of goods, the grounds of 
the Exposition are equally attractive. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



51 



Many exhibitors who could not get as 
much space as they desired inside of the 
buildings have erected separate structures 
on the grounds, and make a special dis- 
play of their own. There are at least 
tifty of these structures in course of 
erection, and it may safely be said that 
everything will not be complete before 
the middle of July. The whole of these 
three hundred acres of grounds presented 
the appearance, during the afternoon, of 
about forty of our ordinary SchUtzen- 
fests combined in one, and when we 
passed out of the gates at seven o'clock 
in the evening, the halls having been just 
closed, the grounds, as far as the eye 
could reach, were almost massed with 
people. Seven large fountains, located 
in the beautifully laid-out garden in the 
rear of the dome, were throwing their 
streams high in the air, and numerous 
swans were gliding about in the large 
circular basins. The palace erected for 
the Emperor, with the elegant covered 
walks, had been finished and magnifi- 
cently furnished, and carpets were being 
laid on the steps leading to the gravel- 
walks, in anticipation of the visit of the 
Emperor of Russia to-morrow. The 
flower-beds in the rear of the palace were 
all in full bloom, whilst the vestibule was 
adorned with all manner of rich and rare 
plants. 

The Turkish palace, with its minaret 
rising nearly two hundred feet in the air, 
and its beautiful dome, will not be fully 
completed for a month to come ; but the 
building for the reception of the Sultan 
is finished, and furnished with great ele- 
gance. The Emperor of Russia has also 
a very elegant building constructed for 
his accommodation, furnished in royal 
style. There are Chinese, and Japanese, 
and Turkish shops for the sale of curios- 
ities, constructed and ornamented just as 
such establishments are in those coun- 
tries, and doing a brisk business. 

THE AMERICAN DEPARTMENT. 

The American department has at last 
been thrown open to the public, and has 
been pretty harshly criticised by the 
Vienna press, which, from the long delay, 
professes to have expected greater attrac- 
tions. This harsh criticism has had the 
effect of drawing more general attention 
to the American department, and we 
found it well thronged with visitors, and 
their close inspection of the articles indi- 
cated that they found much there to 
interest and instruct. Paris and London 
have emptied their glittering shop-win- 



dows into the Exposition, which are well 
enough to look at and admire, but there 
is nothing in the American department 
of this character. Everything here per- 
tains to the useful rather than the orna- 
mental, and, whatever may be the opinion 
expressed as to its character by other 
members of the American press, we pre- 
dict that it will command more steady 
attention than some of the more glitter- 
ing portions of the Exhibition, and take 
as many of the premiums. The extra 
wing erected by our Commissioners is 
largely occupied by the different Ameri- 
can sewing-machines, and they have 
each attempted to excel the other in the 
brilliancy and elegance of the temples 
which they have erected for the display 
of their machines and the exhibition of 
specimens of workmanship. They have 
all the variety of their machines in 
operation, and they are constantly sur- 
rounded by spectators. The knitting- 
machines are especial objects of curiosity 
to the German ladies, who imagined that 
this work, in which they are all proficient, 
could never be better done by machinery. 
The display of American shoes, which is 
vei-y fine, charms the ladies; and the 
extensive exhibitions of American den- 
tistry, in which we beat the world, are 
thronged by that portion of humanity 
Avho have outlived their teeth. Indeed, 
if the character of any department is to 
be judged by the manifest interest of the 
visitors, no American will have occasion 
to be ashamed of the display. That there 
has been great bungling and neglect in 
getting the department in order is evi- 
dent. 

The American division of the ma- 
chinery department is not extensive, but 
there are about sixty different compact 
little labor-saving machines in motion, 
which always attract eager crowds of 
spectators. All the different machines 
used by the manufacturers of shoes are 
entirely new in this country, and are in 
practical operation. So also with the 
American agricultural building. It is 
well filled with labor-saving machinery, 
and, although not so extensive as that of 
England, has the advantage of being ac- 
knowledged as the source from which 
p]ngland has pirated most of its ma- 
chinery of this character. 

As to the extent of the three depart- 
ments of the American division, your 
readers can form some idea of it when 
they are assured that it occupies a com- 
bined space equal to three times the size 
of the Maryland Institute Hall, and that 



52 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



it is much largei" and more attractive 
tlian the exhibition of the Mechanics' 
Institute at New York hist year. That 
"was mainly an exiiibition of shop goods, 
its machinery department being the only 
real attraction. This is entirely com- 
posed of American productions, manu- 
factures, machinery, and other evidences 
of our progress and devotion to the useful 
rather than the ornamental. We en- 
countered a great many Americans yes- 
terday, and most of them had come 
expecting to be mortified at our meagre 
display, but they were all well satisfied, 
and, considering the distance and expense 
to individual depositors, were rather 
surprised at the extent and number of 
the articles on deposit. There was general 
dissatisfaction, however, at the shabby 
quality of the American ilags with 
which our department is decorated. 
They are all of muslin, with a brick- 
dust red, a yellow white, and a black 
blue. Some of the individual depositors 
have good sjaecimens of the starry ban- 
ner, but the Commissioners have used 
almost a burlesque of the flag. 

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL-HOUSE. 

The American school-house, -which has 
just been finished, and opened for the 
inspection of visitors, is an object of 
great curiosity, especially to the more 
intelligent portion of the people. It is 
located in front of the English transept, 
and represents a rural school-house, such 
as can be found in all the school districts 
of New England and most of the Middle 
and Western States, ))ut would be almost 
as much of a curiosity in Maryland, out- 
side of Baltimore, and in the Southern 
States, as it is here in Austria. It is a 
one-story frame building, painted a light 
blue, with white sashes and green shut- 
ters, about fifty feet in length and thirty- 
five in breadth, one-half of which is 
the school-i"Oom proper, and the other 
half the recitation-rooms. There are the 
teacher's platform, chair, and desk, and the 
desks and seats for all the scholars, each 
desk with slates and books on it, whilst 
the walls are decorated with the usual 
maps and charts found in our public 
schiols. There are two entrances, one 
labeled "boys' entrance," and the other 
" girls' entrance," and the inevitable 
water-cooler, with cups, on each side of 
the school-room. The desks somewhat re- 
semble those made by Mr. Charles P. 
Stevens, of Baltimore, and used in most 
of our public schools. The recitation- 
rooms are also supplied with maps, globes, 



and all the furniture and appliances of 
education usually found in our rural 
school-houses. This building, together 
with the educational division of the 
American department, is very credita- 
ble, and helps greatly to refute the at- 
tempt made by the Vienna papers to 
belittle the American display. 

BALTIMORE IN THE EXPOSITION. 

Baltimore has not done much to bring 
itself to the notice of the world at Vienna. 
A diligent search yesterday brought to 
view the following articles : A very 
handsomely coopered barrel of lard, with 
a specimen glass jar of the same article, 
deposited by " Cassard Brothers, Balti- 
more, Maryland," and one of the patent 
iron-framed school desks and seats of our 
enterprising citizen Charles P. Stevens. 

In the educational department, the 
Baltimore Public School Chart, giving 
the number of our schools, teachers, 
scholars, attendance, etc., is suspended 
in a very prominent position, and is 
flanked on either side by two specimens 
of crayon drawing, one by " Miss Maggie 
J. Ryan, aged seventeen, fourth-year 
class, Western Female High School, Bal- 
timore, Maryland," and the other " drawn 
from a plaster bust, by Miss Alice J. 
Hank, aged seventeen years, third-year 
class. Western Female High School." 
There are also in a glass case, immediately 
under the chart, specimens of crayon 
drawing by the following scholars in our 
different public schools : Harry Stuhman, 
Bessie G. Thomas, C. M. Hiss, M. E. 
Shorte, B. T. Hanck, Carrie A. Summers, 
Annie Van Daniker, Laura M. Smith, 
Nellie B. Small, and Lillie W. Miller. 
There are also in the same case speci- 
mens of penmanship from Sophie Digges, 
Lizzie Williams, and Henry Weber. 
The educational chart is signed by John 
T. Morris, President, H. M. Cowles, 
Secretary, and William R. Creerj^ Su- 
perintendent, and is itself a very elegant 
specimen of penmanship. They are all 
in a very prominent position, which will 
V)e a source of satisfaction to those who 
have made these deposits. 

The public schools of Washington City 
are nearly all represented by photo- 
graphic plates of their several buildings, 
and the Franklin Schoiil-house, one of 
the largest of the Washington structures, 
has a large model of its building on ex- 
hibition, which gives a partial idea of our 
large citypviblic schools. There are also 
specimens of writing and drawing from 
the scholars of the Washington schools. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



53 



New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and 
Cincinnati have also charts and specimens 
in abundance, and the school-book pub- 
lishers of those cities have all their vari- 
ous editions on deposit. The South is 
largely represented by specimens of cot- 
ton, sugar, molasses, and tobacco. 

Vienna, June 3, 1873. 

ARRIVAL OF VISITORS. 

The month of June set in with the 
stormiest day of the season, but, as it has 
been succeeded by two bright and beau- 
tiful days, we are in hopes that It was 
the clearing-up storm. The change has 
already caused quite a number of tour- 
ists who were in the neighboring cities 
to come to Vienna, and yesterday the 
hotels commenced to show some evidences 
of life, and they are now resuming their 
high prices. Sleeping-accommodations 
have advanced to from three to five 
dollars per day, and they imagine that 
the long-expected harvest is about to 
commence. There will vindoubtedly be 
a great crowd here in a few weeks ; but 
we shall not be surprised if the extortion- 
ists compel them to disperse again very 
rapidly. 

THE CZAR OF RUSSIA. 

The Czar and Prince Imperial of Russia 
do not seem inclined to show themselves 
very freely to the people of Vienna. 
Wherever they go they are accompanied 
and guarded by two or three hundred 
policemen, and there is an impression 
abroad that they fear an attempt at as- 
sassination from some of the Polish refu- 
gees who have made their home In Austria. 
The Crown Prince visited the Exposition 
yestei-day almost incog., and passed only 
through the Russian section, which was 
closed to the public during his visit. He 
also attended one of the theatres last 
night, but his coming was not known a 
half-hour before his arrival, and a thou- 
sand policemen preceded him in and 
around the theatre. 

THE EMPEROR AT THE OPERA. 

We did our very best to secure seats at 
the Grand Opera House last night, to wit- 
ness the display of royalty and fashion, 
the performance being given in Iionor of 
the Czar of Russia. We offered double 
prices for a box, but failed to get any, 
and finally gave up the effort. Not being 
able to get an inside, we took an outside 
view of the Opera House, to witness the 
illumination of the building and to see 
the grand array of aristocratic toilets, 



as well as the entrance of the royal 
family and guests ; but, as their carriages 
dashed into the building through a wait- 
ing throng of people, but little could be 
seen of them. Whilst waiting, one of 
the speculators offered us three seats on 
the fourth bench in the fifth gallery for 
fifty florins, or over eight dollars apiece, 
but, concluding that we could see nothing 
worth seeing from this position, in what 
we would call the "peanut gallery" at 
home, we respectfully declined the pro- 
posal. The first act was then over, from 
which some idea may be formed of the 
difficulty of obtaining tickets when any- 
thing of real importance is to take place. 
Indeed, to secure tickets for almost any 
night requires a large stock of both pa- 
tience and perseverance. The approach 
to the ticket-ofiice has a kind of wall-of- 
Troy railing, in which the purchasers can 
only enter one abreast, extending through 
a long passage for about fifty feet. To 
have a chance for securing tickets it is 
necessary to be on hand at six o'clock in 
the morning, and the sale commences 
at half-past nine. This passage-way is 
crowded with several hundred excited 
people, who have to work their way 
gradually through this railing, and nine 
times out of ten all the tickets are gone 
before their turn comes. They profess 
to be very fair about it, but it always 
happens that the best seats are in the 
hands of speculators. On a royal night 
it seems to be necessary to have a card 
from some member of the court to have 
any chance. The Opera House is a gov- 
ernment affair, all its deficiencies being 
made up out of the royal treasury. The 
number of singers, ballet-dancers, cho- 
ruses, and attaches of the establishment 
is over six hundred, some of them receiv- 
ing as high as from twenty to thirty thou- 
sand florins per year, with four months' 
leave of absence. The prima donnas, 
who receive these high prices, stipulate 
only to sing four times per month. 

THE GRAND MILITARY REVIEW. 

A military review in Europe is a 
very grand and wonderfully extensive af- 
fair, and royal in its magnificence. But 
by a civilian it is regarded as a matter 
with Avhich he has nothing to do, and he 
is kept at such a respectful distance that 
nothing but a powerful field-glass will 
render him any satisfaction. Thus It 
was yesterday morning. The field u]ion 
which the review was held was about a 
mile in breadth by about a mile and a 
half in length. It was nearly level, with- 



54 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



out a tree to obstruct the view, and 
the infantry to the number of twenty- 
five thousand extended nearly its whole 
length, in two lines, whilst the artillery 
and cavalry were to the rear, about the 
centre of the line, numbering probably 
five thousand, with nearly one hundred 
guns. The people were massed around 
this field on every side, and were kept 
back by the military-looking police-offi- 
cers, most of whom were sjjlendidly 
mounted, and all carried swords. We 
managed to secure a position in the front 
line, and hence had a good view, at 
the distance of half a mile, of all that 
passed, a friend at our elbow explaining 
all that could not be clearly understood, 
and pointing out in the regal pageant the 
distinguished and prominent figures, who 
were recognized by their attire and the aid 
of our glasses. Two ambulances, with 
a squad of the ambulance corps, were on 
hand with stretchers to carry off any 
poor fellow who should not be able to 
stand the exposure to a hot sun ; and, sure 
enough, at the first movement of the 
troops, one man was observed to fall out 
of line exhausted, when a stretcher was 
brought and he was carried off the field. 

ARRIVAL OF THE ROYAL PARTY. 

At nine o'clock the Crown Prince of 
Austria, a lad about fifteen years of age, 
dressed in the uniform of a general, ar- 
rived on the grounds in a carriage drawn 
by two sorrel ponies, accompanied by 
several military officers, footmen, postil- 
ions and others, and was greeted with 
cheers by the populace, in response to 
which he quite gracefully bowed. . 

At a quarter-past nine o'clock the Em- 
press arrived in a carriage drawn by four 
roan horses, the footmen and coachmen 
being arrayed in yellow livery, with 
white plumes. Immediately following 
her were four other carriages, containing 
the ladies of the court. The Empress 
was arrayed in a pink satin dress, and 
carried on her a superabundance of dia- 
monds and jewels. The carriages moved 
along about three hundred yards in front 
of the line of troops to the centre of the 
line, and there halted, with her son, the 
Crown Prince, to await the arrival of the 
Emperor. 

At half-past nine o'clock a long line of 
royal carriages, which could be dis- 
tinguished by the livery, was observed 
entering the farthest corner of the field, 
fully a mile from the position we occu- 
pied. They contained the Emperor of 
Austria and his suite, with the Emperor 



of Russia and the Crown Prince and their 
suites. There were also a large numljer 
of officers on horseback with them. They 
came to tlie ground by the roads leading 
from Schijnbrunn to the summer palace, 
Avhore the guests of the Emperor are 
stopping. 

The whole royal party were now upon 
the ground ; but there was no salute fired, 
nor any other demonstration, except that 
the nearest military band struck up a beau- 
tiful air, and the flashing of bright steel 
in the sun indicated that there was a 
presentation of arms along the whole line. 
We expected to see an abundance of 
powder burned, but the cannon were mute. 

ROYALTY IN MOTION. 

The royal party, headed by the two 
Emperors, and followed by the two Crown 
Princes and the Empress, with her ladies, 
in carriages, now started on the tour of 
review along the front of all the lines. 
There could not have been in this party 
of brilliantly-dressed nobles, all splen- 
didly mounted, comprising the cortege 
of the two monarchs, less than three 
hundred persons, besides the Empress 
and her ladies, and they were followed 
by a detachment of the Emperor's body- 
guard. They moved slowly along the 
front column of infantry, and then turned, 
passing through the second line ; then, 
again turning, they passed in review the 
artillery. Returning again, they passed 
the cavalry; and then the whole party 
moved to a prominence near the western 
extremity of the line, and took position 
Avhilst the troops passed them in march- 
ing order. 

,The fact that the Emperors of both 
Russia and Austria appeared in similar 
attire — that of generals of the Austrian 
army — was explained to me as according 
to custom on all these royal visits. It 
appears that these Emperors, who every 
few years drag their people into bloody 
wars, profess to be brothers when at 
peace, and honor each other by naming 
crack regiments after their " beloved " 
kinsmen. Thus, in the Austrian army 
there is a regiment named after the Czar 
of Russia and one named after the Crown 
Prince. Hence, military etiquette re- 
quires that they should appear in the 
uniform of these regiments when attend- 
ing a military review ; and they were 
thus arrayed yesterday. The sight was 
truly a magnificent one, and the royal 
party showed to great advantage in all 
the trappings and gilded glory that per- 
tain to royalty. 



AMERl CAN SFECTA CLES. 



55 



A MARCHING REVIEW. 

As soon as the sovereigns had taken 
their position, surrounded by their mili- 
tary families, the infantry commenced to 
move off towards the western extremity 
of the field, and in a few minutes the 
head of the column, in platonns of one 
hundred men each, marching thirty-three 
iu a line and three deep, in tolerably 
close order, commenced to tile past for 
inspection. It was a very beautiful sight, 
the white Austrian unilbrm giving to the 
platoons the appearance of white lines 
on the green sward. The time required 
for the whole force to pass in review 
before the royal party was one hour and 
thirty minutes. After passing, they de- 
ployed off to the border of the tield near- 
est to their respective barracks, passing- 
through different sections of the city, with 
bands playing. 

The number of people assembled on 
the border of the field to witness this 
military spectacle was very great, con- 
sisting of men, women, and children of 
almost all classes. Without a field-glass 
but little could be seen by any one ; and 
not one in a thousand was provided with 
this requisite. But even to see the glim- 
mer of royalty and military display at 
this distance has a charm for the people 
which they seldom forego. From the pal- 
ace to the Opera-House last evening the 
streets were lined with people to see the 
royal carriages pass; and when they did 
come the crowd was so great that but few 
saw anything but the hats and feathers 
of the flunkeys on the boxes at the back of 
the vehicles. No doubt the same crowd 
was in attendance at the close of the 
performance, to see them pass back to 
the palace. 

Vienna, June 9, 1873. 

A BRIGHT SUNDAY. 

Yesterday Avas the third Sunday we 
have passed in Vienna. On the immense 
building in the course of construction 
near our hotel, there was not mure than 
one-fourth of the usual force of brick- 
layers and female laborers working, and 
these all stopped at noon, making a half- 
day's work. It seems to be at their op- 
tion whether they wwk or not, and most 
of them avail themselves of the day of 
rest. The churches were well attended 
in the morning, and in the evening 
the gardens and cafes were thronged 
to excess. The concert halls were all in 
full blast, and the attendance at the Ex- 
position exceeded that of any day of the 
past week. The admission on Sunday is 



only a half-florin, and the poorer classes 
avail themselves of the holiday and the 
low charges to take their families. 

THE AMERICAN CHAPEL. 

The American Chapel was attended 
yesterday morning by what was probably 
the largest foreign Protestant congrega- 
tion that has ever assembled in Vienna. 
The chapel is one built by the govern- 
ment ibr the use of the Protestant sol- 
diers of the adjoining barracks, and the 
use of it, at half-past eleven o'clock on 
Sunday mornings, has been secured for 
the accommodation of Americans duriug 
the time of the Exposition. There were 
nearly two hundred present yesterday 
morning, and quite an excellent vol- 
unteer choir of ladies and gentlemen 
accompanied the organ. There is no 
stationed minister , but as there are usu- 
ally one or two Episcopal ministers 
among the visitors, their services are 
secured. Quite an excellent sermon was 
preached by a New York clergyman, 
from the fourth and fifth verses of the 
second chapter of Acts. Among the 
congregation we had the pleasui-e of 
meeting Minister Jay, Professor Blake, 
of Washington, and Mr. McElrath, of 
New York. 

THE VIENNA FIRE DEPARTMENT. 

There was an alarm of fire on Satur- 
day, and the whole fire department of 
Vienna was out ; but, as we could neither 
see smoke nur hear of any damage, it 
was probably a trifling affair. The fire- 
brigade are government oflicers, and some 
of them are mounted, and appear in very 
fine uniforms. The small hand-engines, 
about half the size of our old hand- 
machines, with side levers, and drawn by 
horses, were driven rapidly through the 
streets, a shrill brass horn being blown 
to warn all vehicles to move out of the 
way. The firemen are carried to the 
fire in a species of omnibus, that they 
may be fresh for work on reaching the 
ground. The amount of property de- 
stroyed here by fire per annum is said to 
be extremely small, a gentleman who has 
spent a year in Vienna informing me 
that he has not heard of a house having 
been burnt out during that time, though 
there has been slight damage to houses. 
The houses are so nearly fire-proof that 
fire is not likely to extend from one room 
to another, all division-walls of rooms 
being of brick, not less than twelve to 
sixteen inches thick, and all the stair- 
ways, from the cellar to the roof, solid 



56 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



stone. The consequence is that the 
flames spread slowly, and the firemen, 
reaching the ground very rapidly, are 
soon alile to subdue them. The steam 
fire-engine is not known here. 

We visited one of the fire-engine sta- 
tions yesterday, of which there are seven 
in the city, and the ofiicer in charge took 
great pains to explain the wdiole system, 
and to show us the apparatus, which he 
seemed to regard as perfection. There 
are three classes of engines, one for 
large fires, one for small, and the other 
for chimneys ; and three sets of officers, 
who are called out when their apparatus 
is ordered out, by means of telegraph- 
wires to their houses. When the fire is 
on the first floor, they take with them 
hogsheads of water, on wheels, to be 
used with buckets, the city being but 
poorly supplied with w^ater. The engines 
closely resemble the small side-lever 
machines used in New York thirty years 
ago, but are considerably smaller, being 
roughly built, without a particle of orna- 
ment, and painted a solemn black. They 
had twelve horses in the stable, all har- 
nessed ready for use, the men all living 
in the building. They are required each 
to spend an hour per day in gymnastic 
exercises. Their ladders and fire-escapes 
are very goodj but the whole establish- 
ment looked to us exceedingly j^rimitive. 
The telegraph system is very compli- 
cated, and they use no alarm-bells, as 
the men are always on hand. We ex- 
plained to them our system of districts, 
and of alarm-boxes on the telegraph poles, 
but they require the police officers to run 
to the nearest station and give the alarm. 
The elaborate iron telegraph poles, of 
which we have already spoken, carrying 
eighty-four wires, are for the exclusive 
use of the fire department. 

THE BEAUTY OF VIENNA. 

The more we see of Vienna, the more 
thorough is our conviction that it is 
one of the most beautiful and attractive 
cities in the w^orld. It has also the ad- 
vantage of being an unfinished city, es- 
pecially in its most prominent parts, the 
finest possible locations having been re- 
served for the four most important of its 
public buildings, the erection of which 
is now being commenced. When its 
tnagnificent House of Parliament is fin- 
ished, and its new City Hall, the corner- 
stone of which is to be laid by the 
Emperor on Saturday next, rears its 
beautiful proportions in the Schiller 
Platz, flanked by the Academy of Sci- 



ence and Art, and the Museum of Natu- 
ral History, surrounded by the fountains 
and gardens of Parade Platz, it will 
present a combination of ornamentation, 
centrally located, that will eclipse the 
beauties of the Louvre and the Tuileries. 
We perceive that Bayard Taylor agrees 
with us that Vienna will soon eclipse Paris, 
if it has not done so already, and that 
there is no thoroughfare in the civilized 
world combining so many attractions as 
the Ringstrasse and its diverging streets. 
The removal of the old walls, parade- 
grounds, and fortifications of the city 
furnished the site for this great improve- 
ment, and it has been availed of to the 
fullest extent, whilst the sale of building- 
lots has furnished to the government a 
mine of .wealth with which to make 
Vienna the gem of cities. Such a noble 
thoroughfare, winding its way around 
the old sections of the city for the dis- 
tance of nearly five miles, demanded 
handsome structures, and they have been 
erected with a lavish expenditure, and 
the employment of the best architectural 
skill that Europe could furnish. These 
tall and stately structures, following each 
other in endless succession, rich in orna- 
mentation, each endeavoring to excel its 
neighbor in artistic skill and architec- 
tural taste, present the appearance of a se- 
ries of massive public buildings or palaces, 
rather than private residences and places 
of business. The much-admired build- 
ings on the Boulevards of Paris dwindle 
into commonplace structures in com- 
parison with those of the Ringstrasse, as 
throughout its borders everything that is 
beautiful clusters. Nearly opposite the 
new^ Bourse, which will be double the 
size of the Paris Bourse, there is ap- 
proaching completion the New Theatre 
Comique, which will be nearly three 
times as large as Ford's Opera House, 
whilst block after block of the same class 
of buildings as those on the Ringstrasse 
are being erected on all the adjoining 
streets. The seven or eight new hotels 
just finished, and opened for the first 
time last montli, are each as large as 
the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and much more 
handsome and elaborate in their archi- 
tectural ornamentation. In short, every- 
thing here is on a grand scale, and if the 
people would only learn to treat stran- 
gers fairly and honorabl}'', Vienna would 
soon become the favorite city of Europe. 

PECULIARITIES OF CLIMATE. 

The climate of Vienna very much re- 
sembles that of San Francisco. If the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



57 



eun shines out bright and clear at early 
da^yu, it is deemed prudent to take an 
umbrella along, as a sudden shower or a 
succession of showers is inevitable. If, on 
the contrary, the morning is dull and 
cloudy, it is regarded as indicative of a 
clear day. If the weather is warm and 
oppressive at midday, the evening will 
surely be cold and chilly : hence summer 
dresses are but little worn by the ladies, 
and both ladies and gentlemen carry over- 
coats and wraps with them, confident that 
they will be required for comfort after 
sunset. Home is regarded by most peo- 
ple only as a place to sleep at: hence 
those who are on the street seldom expect 
to reach their sleeping-quarters until it 
is time to make use of them. It there- 
fore becomes necessary to provide in 
advance for a change of weather, and 
those experienced in the variableness of 
the climate are seldom caught unpre- 
pared. It also resembles San Francisco 
in the fact that the wind blows in cur- 
rents through certain streets, and the 
turning of a corner brings you into a 
chilly and searching atmosphere, whilst 
on a second turn it becomes warm and 
mild. Thus, on a decidedly warm day, 
gentlemen almost invariably carry a thin 
overcoat, thrown over the arm, even while 
wearing white waistcoats and drilling 
pantaloons. The evenings and nights 
are generally cool through the summer. 

KISSING HANDS. 

Among the Viennese children and 
maidens there is a singular mode of return- 
ing thanks for a favor or a present, which 
is very startling to a stranger. Your 
hand is immediately seized, kindly and 
reverently, and kissed, the only words 
uttered being, "I kiss your hand." If 
anything is given to a little beggar-girl 
on the street, you must submit to having 
your hand kissed. At the cathedral on 
Saturday afternoon, whilst the ceremony 
of confirmation was progressing, this was 
almost a momentary occurrence. It is 
customary for the friends and sponsors 
of those being confirmed to present them 
with ribbons, cakes, and other mementoes, 
which are sold around the door of the 
cathedral. Consequently, the ceremony 
of kissing hands was in constant progress 
throughout the week. The number of 
persons confirmed is said to have ex- 
ceeded twenty thousand, most of them 
children. 

A SINGULAR MONUMENT. 

Among the monuments in the squares 
or plazas of Vienna is one in the Graben 



that is so peculiar as to command even 
the attention of the European traveler 
who has been surfeited with the sight of 
these pillars of stones to the memory of 
men and women, most of whose lives 
were infamous, and their death a blessing. 
This is called the " Trinity Column." It 
represents a dense volume of smoke or 
cloud rising from an altar to the height 
of about thirty feet, and has figuresof 
angels, to the number of not less than 
thirty, hovering around it, their heads 
and wings protruding. It was erected, as 
an inscription upon its base informs us, 
by order of Emperor Leopold I., in 1(393, 
as a token of thanksgiving on the ces- 
sation of the plague. The idea of the 
artist is remarkably well executed, and 
if the dust and smoke of one hundred 
and eighty years were removed, the monu- 
ment would command marked attention. 

DEPARTURE OF THE CZAR. 

The Emperor of Russia and the Crown 
Prince, with their attendants, have all 
gone home, and the Vienna press details 
many incidents of the fear of assassina- 
tion entertained Ijy the royal visitor while 
here. Before his arrival at the palace, 
a Russian detective examined the apart- 
ments, to see that no one was concealed, 
and fixmiliarized himself with the voices 
and features of all the servants and at- 
tendants who were to be permitted to 
enter that part of the palace during the 
royal sojourn. There was a fear that some 
Polish refugee might smuggle himself 
in, arrayed in the palace garb. Besides 
this precaution, the immediate attendants 
were all brought with them from Russia. 
This was the reason it was so difficult to 
get a glimpse of the Emperor, and that 
he visited only the Russian department at 
the Exposition, all visitors being excluded 
whilst he was passing through. When 
he visited the opera, no one whose char- 
acter was unknown was allowed to have a 
ticket, and whenever he drove through 
the city thousands of policemen and de- 
tectives hovered around him. The near- 
est we got to him was at the review, when 
we saw him about a half-mile distant, 
through a field-glass. Who would care 
to be an Emperor, and be compelled to be 
thus guarded from assassination ? Per- 
haps the fear of French vengeance is the 
cause of the alleged illness of the Em- 
peror of Germany. 

AUSTRIAN POLITENESS. 

The Viennese are as polite and cour- 
teous as the Frenchmen. No one thinks 



58 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



of entering a store, an office, or a place 
of business witliout taking off his hat, 
and keeping it off, as well as exchanging 
a polite bow on leaving. To keep the 
head covered is deemed extremely rude 
and offensive. If you happen to make 
inquiry on the street, either of a nmn or a 
boy, the greatest pains is not only taken 
to give the right direction, but he will 
even follow you to see that you make no 
mistake, and when you stop to look around 
in perplexity you will generally find the 
same kindly stranger at your elbow to 
point the way again. Even on entering 
a cafe or restaurant all the waiters bow 
to you ; and on entering or leaving a 
store the proprietor follows you to the 
door, and the clerks make their obeisance 
to you with all the grace of dancing-mas- 
ters. It is singular that such a people, 
ai>parently so kind and courteous, are so 
given to deception and downright knavery 
in all their dealings. The ladies of our 
party, in their little shopping excursions, 
have invariably found an attempt to in- 
crease charges from their first agreement, 
under some plea of error or mistake. 
There is an attempt to overcharge in 
everything, unless the agreement is in 
writing. In conversation to-day with the 
proprietor of the American restaurant 
on the Exposition grounds, he aptly re- 
marked that " the people of Vienna were 
the most courteous and agreeable he had 
ever met with, and as lavish with their 
money as Americans; but," he added, 
" they seem to take pleasure in cheating 
everybody they deal with." 

STOCK GAMBLING. 

The people of Vienna have a general 
mania for dealing in all manner of fancy 
stocks, lottery tickets, policies, etc., and 
the recent failures have affected all classes 
of people, but especially those of the 
middle strata, who had their all invested. 
Small storekeepers, seamstresses, actress- 
es, and those who had accumulated a few 
hundreds or thousands of florins, had 
everything swept away. At the Bourse, 
among the throngs of excited men called 
curb-stone brokers, at least a thousand 
of whom surround the building every 
morning, can always be seen large num- 
bers of equally excited women, who fall 
easy victims to the more experienced sex. 
Indeed, Ave find everything in Austria so 
contrary to our previously conceived no- 
tions of German character that were it 
not for the language we might suppose 
ourselves among a population of vivacious 
and excitable Frenchmen. Hundreds of 



boys are always on hand at the Boui-se, 
who rapidly copy the bulletins of 
prices, and rush off through the Ring- 
strasse, offering them for sale to every 
passer-by, and finding more purchasers 
among the women than among the men. 
The females are also the principal pur- 
chasers of the lottery tickets, being easily 
deceived by the flaming announcements 
of fortunes gained by the investment of a 
few florins. How contrary to the Ameri- 
can idea of the German character is all 
this ! 

BEER AND COFFEE. 

We have found the most healthy and 
palatable drinks in Germany to be beer 
and coffee. The water is certainly not 
palatable, especially without ice, and ice 
is scarcely a marketable commodity here. 
Nobody uses it, and hence it is very diffi- 
cult to find. The water is as hard as a 
dissolved paving-stone, and it is impossi- 
ble to make a lather with soap when wash- 
ing one's hands. It appears to curdle the 
soap, and makes it adhere to the flesh. 
All the washing is done on the creeks 
outside the city, it being impossible to 
wash with the city water. It may or 
may not be healthy, but, as nobody drinks 
it, the question is yet to be settled. Most 
excellent coffee is made of it, however, as 
can be decided at any one of the thousand 
coffee-houses spread over the city. Beer 
and coffee are the only drinks used in 
Vienna, with some wine, and they are in- 
variably good. 

THE VIENNA GENERAL HOSPITAL. 

A few mornings since we visited the 
Vienna Hospital, which is one of the 
largest in the world, having over two 
thousand beds, and sometimes they are 
increased to three thousand. Being 
accompanied by our friend Dr. Franck, 
of Baltimore, who is attending the lec- 
tures on the eye and ear, intending to 
make this a specialty in his practice on 
his return, we had unusual opportunities 
to view the whole interior of the estab- 
lishment, which wculd make an excellent 
study for the gentlemen having charge of 
the construction of the Johns Hopkins 
Hospital, of Baltimore. Each difl'erent 
class of disease to which the human system 
is liable has separate wards and a sepa- 
rate professor, as well as separate lecture- 
rooms. The first lecture-room we entered 
had over two hundred students awaiting 
the coming of the professor. They were 
of all nationalities, including a dozen or 
more Americans, and we were pleased to 
learn that the latter are the most studi- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



59 



ous and attentive to the lectures of any 
who attend. The professors all admit 
this, and hold them up as examples to 
the German students, most of whom come 
here merely to enjoy Vienna life. The 
patients are brought into the lecture- 
room, and operations are performed in 
the presence of the students. We passed 
through another department where a lec- 
ture on skin disease was in progress and 
a number of students were attentive lis- 
teners, and then through the wards, where 
an average of ten thousand children, only 
two hunclred of them legitimate, are an- 
nually born. Several little Viennese 
Avere just making themselves heard in the 
world for the first time. The most inter- 
esting, however, was the department for 
diseases of the eye, where the eminent 
Professor Von Ault was operating on 
several cases, surrounded by a throng of 
attentive students. We afterwards visited 
him in his lecture-room, where he receives 
out-door patients for one hour every day, 
and operates upon them without charge. 
There were at least fifty of these awaiting 
their turn, each having been given a num- 
ber stamped upon a piece of tin on mak- 
ing application, and they must be in daily 
attendance until their number is called. 
On the same afternoon Ave called upon 
him at his house in the city, and found 
not less than fifty private patients, simi- 
larly waiting their turn. He is renowned 
all over Europe as the greatest oculist 
living, and has accumulated an immense 
fortune fuom his practice. 

THE DISSECTING-ROOMS. 

In the course of our rounds we dropped 
in at the dissecting-house, one of the 
peculiarities of this great hospital being 
that all who die AA'ithin its Avails must be 
sul)jected to a post-mortem examination. 
With so many patients, the number of 
deaths daily ranges from thirty to fifty, 
and every morning the professors Avith 
crowds of students are present to witness 
the opening of this hecatomb of dead, and 
to decide upon the cause of death in each 
case. Relatives or friends of the dead 
are allowed to take them away when the 
professors are done with thein, and pro- 
vide for their burial ; but if they are friend- 
less, as is generally the case, they are cut 
up and quartered off among the students, 
one taking a leg, another an arm, another 
a head, as the case may be. Each body 
is brought into the rooms with a tin token 
tied to the right great toe, numbered 
and telling the ward in which he died, 
whilst around the ankle is tied a piece of 



paper, upon which is the opinion of the 
physician attending as to the cause of 
death. In one of the basement rooms 
was a row of twenty-six bodies just from 
the dissecting-room, the breast of each 
of which Avas split open, presenting a 
most ghastly spectacle. In another room 
Avere those Avho had recently died, they 
being kept there for twelve hours, Avith 
strings leading to a spring clock tied to 
their hands, so that an alarm would be 
given in case of recuscitation. The stu- 
dent who spends a year in this extensive 
hospital ought certainly to learn some- 
thing about the internal structure of 
the " human form divine." 

THE JOLLY STUDENTS. 

Many of the thousands of young gentle- 
men who are sent here to finish their 
medical education live a jolly life, and 
pay more attention to the enjoyments of 
this gay metropolis than to the pursuit of 
their studies. They all soon learn to like 
the life, and to like the city, and Avhen 
their time of attendance expires, leave it 
with regret. They can be found of an 
evening scattered around among the cafi§s 
and restaurants, or studying German by 
intimacy with the German girls. They 
can generally talk German like a native 
before they have been here a year, as 
they mix among the people, and never 
lose an opportunity for an argument. 

There Avere upAvards of fifty American 
physicians here the past winter, the most 
of them from New York and Massachu- 
setts, a number of tliem being professors 
of some of our medical schools. Among 
the number, we mention Drs. Pomeroy, 
Merrill, Sinclair, Morgan, and Lefferts, 
of New York ; Drs. Jorne, Green, Ring, 
Sprague, and Hunt, of Boston ; Franck 
and Seldner, of Baltimore; and a great 
many from other States. 

[We were absent from Vienna about 
two weeks,' at the Iodine Springs of Hall, 
about two hundred miles from Vienna. 
Our letters from this place will be found in 
another part of this volume, under the 
heading "Life at the German Springs."] 

Hotel Hamarand, Viknna, Juue 25, 1873. 

RETURN TO VIENNA. 

After a few days of inactivity at Hall, 
Ave have returned to Vienna. Hall is a 
very healthy place, and a very pleasant 
place in which to while away the lazy 
hours of summer, but does not abound in 
such matters of interest as are calculated 
to amuse or instruct. 



60 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



A FENCELESS COUNTRY. 

From Hall to Vienna the distance is 
about one hundred and fifty miles, the 
road passing its entire length through 
the broad and magnificent valley of the 
river Ems. The land in this part of 
Austria is decidedly rich, and on the 
whole route tiie cottages of the farmers 
were bright and beautiful, bearing evi- 
dence of being inhabited by a prosperous 
and happy people. The fenceless fields, 
with scarcely a hedge except at the road- 
side, were Avaving with heavy crops of 
wheat, rye, and barley, indicative of the 
most careful cultivation. To an Ameri- 
can, accustomed to the perpetual network 
of rail- and worm-fences, the sight of a 
country without fences is quite a novelty ; 
and when tiie hundreds of millions of 
dollars spent by our farmers in this 
really useless luxury are considered, the 
wonder is that the European practice 
is not adopted, especially in the far West. 
They have fences around their stable-yards 
to keep the cattle in, but none even on 
the turnpike or roadsides. In all this 
distance not a single cow could be seen 
running loose, though occasionally a cow 
or a horse could be observed, led by hal- 
ter, and allowed to nibble the grass along 
the roadside. The turnpike, visible from 
the cars, was marked by rows of tall pop- 
lar-trees, as it swept along through fields 
of grain or grass, without a fence or a 
hedge to divide it from the tilled lands. 
There is evidently no necessity here for 
self-opening or any other description of 
patent gates, which are so abundant in 
America. 

The barns along the route of our jour- 
ney were generally immense structures, 
forming squares, with a court-yard for 
the cattle in the centre of the square. 
They are built of brick, and very massive, 
nearly all having thatched roofs. Some 
of the longest of them were about two 
hundred feet on each of the four sides of 
the square, and in many of them one of 
the corners is occupied by the family 
of the farmer. Thus all his interests are 
under one roof, and the cattle are con- 
fined to the limits of the court-yard. We 
were assured that the Avhole establish- 
ment is kept scrupulously clean, and that 
the family section usually abounds in 
rural comforts. 

THE VIENNESE EXTORTIONS. 

Having reached Vienna again, we will 
sweep oS' in the present letter such notes 
on general subjects as are upon our note- 
book. 



The Vienna papers contain a list of 
over eight hundred hack- and carriage- 
drivers who were arrested and fined dur- 
ing the past month, charged with imposing 
upon and taking advantage of strangers. 

There are very few Englishmen in Vi- 
enna, fewer than M'ere here at this time 
last year. The London Times continues 
to urge them to keep away on account of 
the extortions, and an Englishman never 
goes where the Times advises him not to 
go. At the Anglo-Austrian Bank the 
number of Americans recorded daily is 
fully twenty to one Englishman. 

A gentleman and his wife from Kouma- 
nia. who stopped two days at the Grand 
Hotel last month, informed me that they 
were charged thirty florins, or fifteen 
dollars, per day for sleeping accommoda- 
tions alone. The charges now are not so 
excessive. Good single rooms can l)e had 
at most of the hotels for from two to three 
florins per day, and none of them are 
more than half full at these reduced rates. 
The immense increase in the number of 
hotels, there having been more than 
a dozen large houses opened on the 1st 
of May, has completely overthrown the 
combination for excessive charges, and 
they now get as much as they can, but 
are also inclined to take what they can 
get. 

The cost of living at the restaurants 
has come down to the old standard, and 
is extremely motierate, compared even 
with Baltimore prices. Coffee of the very 
))est quality, with butter and bread, costs 
but fifty kreutzers, or twenty-five cents. 
A good dinner, of three or four dishes, 
including beer, costs about one florin, and 
supper, with beefsteak or other meat, less 
than a florin. Everything is fresh cooked 
and well cooked, and no one need desire 
Ijetter living than can be had at one dol- 
lar and a quarter per day. 

MORALS AND MARRIAGE. 

In our former letters allusions have 
been made to the condition of morals 
Avhich pervades Vienna and is rajiidly 
spreading among all classes. In order 
that no unjust impression may be given the 
reader as to the character of the people 
of Austria, who are so different in every 
respect from the Germans of Prussia, we 
have made special efforts to obtain au- 
thentic information as to the causes which 
are leading to this extensive demoraliza- 
tion. That there are many good and 
virtuous people here, there is no manner 
of doubt, but that the next generation 
will greatly deteriorate is equally cer- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



61 



tain. Ten years ago it was regarded as 
somewhat degrading to a woman to live 
with a man without marriage. Now no 
woman is considered as having lowered 
herself much in the esteem of her neigh- 
bors unless she becomes a brazen cour- 
tesan. Of this class it is but proper to say 
that Vienna, with its million of popula- 
tion, has fewer than the smallest of the 
principal cities of the United States. 
There are, however, more people living 
together without marriage than with mar- 
riage, and this condition of life, with the 
privilege of separating at pleasure, Avhich 
often takes place at the birth of the first 
child, is becoming daily more popular. 

The laws regulating marriage are, we 
have ascertained, diiferent from those of 
any other civilized nation. The Church 
is forbidden to marry any man or woman 
without the consent of his or her parents. 
The parties proposing marriage must also 
have the written consent of the burgo- 
master and authorities of the place of 
their nativity, which will not be given 
unless they can prove that they have 
means sufficient to support a family and 
will not become a charge upon the com- 
munity. During the three years which 
every able-bodied man is required to serve 
in the army, he is not permitted to man-y 
except he has also the consent of the 
Secretary of War, or of the general under 
whose command he is serving. Some of 
these laws can be evaded by going to 
some other section of the country ; bvit 
the bars to marriage are so great, and the 
difiiculties to be overcome so numerous, 
that vast numbers prefer to do without 
the ceremony, and start off in life just as 
so many of their neighbors and friends 
have done before theni . There is a recent 
law which is intended to protect the 
female in these left-handed marriages. 
If she ascertains that her " man," by 
whom she has children, is about to con- 
tract marriage, she can enter protest and 
put a stop to the ceremony. It does not, 
however, prevent him from abandoning 
the mother of his children and taking wp 
with his new love, just as he in days long 
past took up with her. The novels daily 
published here all recognize this new 
phase of life, and the most popular are 
those which represent the heroes and he- 
roines falling in love with and eloping 
with wives and husbands. Matrimony is 
ignored entirely in most of them. The 
marriage ceremony is daily growing more 
unpopular, and bills fair soon to come, 
in Vienna at least, to be regarded as one 
of the follies of the past generation. 



MARRIAGE AMOXG THE WELL-BORN. 

The ladies of America, as well as the 
gentlemen, would be apt to enter an earn- 
est protest against the system of mar- 
riage prevalent all over the Continent 
of Europe, but especially in Austria. 
Young ladies here, among the well-to-do 
and wealthier classes, are seldom allowed 
to go into company until they are en- 
gaged to be married. They are not al- 
lowed, in going to or coming from school, 
to have young gallants to trot along by 
their side and carry their books and 
whisper complimentary nothings in their 
ears. They are mostly sent to boarding- 
schools, and kept in such rigid seclusion 
that the sight of a man is almost a novelty 
to them. If allowed to come home during 
vacation, it is under strict family guard, 
but most of them remain until their edu- 
cation is finished and they have budded 
into early womanhood. Both father and 
mother then put their heads together and 
fix upon the amount of dower which they 
are willing and able to give her on hei 
wedding-day. The next move is to look 
for a suitable husband, who will be able 
to bring to the common stock a similai 
amount of hard cash. If they cannot 
find one among their acquaintances to suit 
them in all respects, they call in the ser- 
vices of a professional matrimonial agent, 
who is Avell posted as to all the marriage- 
able 3'oung men in the market. He, or she, 
as it may be, keeps a journal of the mar- 
riageables, not only in Vienna, but in the 
provinces, and proceeds to negotiate with 
the parents of some young man to receive 
the applicant as their daughter-in-law, and 
draws up the agreements and lionds neces- 
sai'y for the security of the money part of 
the transaction. Sometimes the young 
lady is allowed to see the youthful Adonis 
selected for her life-partner, before the 
agreement is closed, but in most cases 
she must accept the choice of her jiarents. 
Love comes after marriage in many cases, 
but is by no means a general result. If 
the money part of the contract is fulfilled, 
nothing is allowed to j^revent the mar- 
riage, as this seems to be the main con- 
sideration. There are constantly cases 
occurring here in Vienna where the ex- 
pected marriage is either postponed until 
the dower is paid up, or broken off" en- 
tirely on account of failure to put up the 
money at the appointed time. The recent 
money crisis has led to many cases of 
aljandonment, and there are no broken 
hearts to be mended. Thus, marriage 
has nothing to do with love, but is a 



62 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



purely business transaction, — a question 
of dollars and cents. Children are often 
pledged to each other by their parents 
before they enter their teens, and are then 
allowed to associate and form attachments, 
but this is not often the case. The parents 
of the daughter, who must pay down the 
money agreed upon, in hard cash, are 
somewhat at the mercy of the parents of 
the groom, who may put up their share 
of the money as a mere matter of form, 
and receive it back from the aifectionate 
son the day after the wedding is consum- 
mated, with a good share of the bride's 
dower. But in matrimonial alliances 
everywhere the woman and her kindred 
are at the mercy of the husband. 

We met, during our sojourn at Hall, a 
very handsome and intelligent lady from 
Roumania, who was sojourning there 
with her husband. She was undoubtedly 
most happily married ; indeed, it would 
be difficult to find anywhere a more de- 
voted couple. They had been married 
ten years, and she showed us a family 
photograph of herself and husband, 
wdth four bright and lieautiful nestlings 
around them. In reply to our Yankee 
curiosity on this marriage question, she 
assured us that she had never seen her 
husband before she was engaged to him, 
and was married six weeks after they 
first met. She was educated at Paris, at 
a boarding-school, where she had been 
for seven years without seeing her 
parents. When she had nearly finished 
her education, and was preparing to 
start for home, her mother sent her the 
names of seven gentlemen who had pro- 
posed for her hand, with their photo- 
graphs. She duly examined them, and 
finally selected the last on the list, her 
present husband. She then {lurchased 
her wedding trousseau, and started home 
to get' married. On her return she met 
him, and learned to love him during the 
six weeks that intervened before thelnar- 
riage. In looking at the subsequent ca- 
reer of her other six proposers, she 
assured me that she had never any cause 
to regret her choice. Glancing over the 
Vienna papers to-day, Ave find that they 
are at Schonbrunn Palace, the guests of 
the Emperor, in company with the 
Prince of Roumania, in whose suite the 
husband holds a high position. 

Vienna, June 26, 1873. 
THE WEATHER. 

The Baltimore papers of the 11th 
of this month have reached us, and re- 
cord the commencement of " the heated 



term." We have had two or three warm 
days in Vienna, but on the morning of 
this 26th day of June we found an overcoat 
quite comfortable, the wind being cold 
and piercing. The " weather," as a rain 
is called here, was pouring down, as it 
has been almost daily for the past two 
months. Let the sun be shining ever so 
brightly, it is always unsafe to venture out 
without an umbrella, and this " weather' 
bids fair to hold out during the entire 
season. 

THE NEUE WELT. 

To visit all the places of recreation and 
amusement in and around Vienna would 
require a month of successive evenings, 
and each one appears to be more attract- 
ive than the last. The gardens, especi- 
ally, present scenes that would be as- 
tounding to the denizens of Baltimore. 
Schneider's Neue Welt, a garden at 
Hitzing, in the suburbs of Vienna, 
which we visited a few evenings since, 
presented a scene that was truly sur- 
prising. It is about three times the size 
of the Baltimore Schlitzen Park, and 
every portion of it was almost as bril- 
liant with gas-jets as the famous Mabille 
Garden of Paris. Three bands of music, 
each of not less than sixty performers, 
occupied elaborately-decorated and illu- 
minated music-stands in different por- 
tions of the garden, the central one, 
called the Alhambra, being, with its 
wings, not less than three hundred feet 
in length, brilliantly illuminated with 
thousands of gas-jets. The central por- 
tion of the garden was filled with tables, 
sufficient to seat comfortably five thou- 
sand persons, and they are usually all 
filled, whilst an army of waiters' are 
rushing to and fro to supply the calls 
for refreshments. Near the farther end 
of the garden is the dancing-circle, with 
another music-stand, whilst beyond it is 
the open-air theatre, with boxes and par- 
quet, where there are nightly perform- 
ances ; one of the attractions, at present, 
being a band of Ethiopian singers, with 
tight-rope and slack-rope dancing. The 
price of admission to the garden is about 
thirty cents, and the number of visitors 
on all clear evenings is from five to ten 
thousand. On holidays and Sunday even- 
ings everything is in full blast, and it 
would be impossible to convey to your 
readers any adequate idea of the' im- 
mensity and brilliancy of the scene pre- 
sented. The festivities are kept up until 
after midnight. On last Friday evening, 
in addition to all the musical attractions, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



63 



the singing associations of Vienna, to 
the number of over one thousand trained 
voices, gave a grand open-air concert 
from the celebrated wings of the Alliaui- 
bi-a, the central portion being occupied 
by tlie combined orchestras of the Neue 
Welt, numbering over two hundred 
string-instruments alone. The illumi- 
nated grounds in front of the Alhambra 
afford seats at tables, with rooms left 
for the free access of the visitors, for 
eight to ten thousand spectators. 

The character of the orchestral music 
on ordinary nights, from each of the sev- 
eral bands, is of the highest oi-der, being 
mostly by the great military bands, all 
the members of which are required to 
he proficient performers on string-instru- 
ments also. Every member of Strauss' s 
Band can perform on two or more in- 
struments ; and so it is with all the great 
bands of Vienna. But the people of 
Vienna are critical judges of music, and 
do not applaud indiscriminately, no hired 
claquers being allowed. If the pieces 
are well rendered, there is applause ; 
if not, a dead silence ensues. Hence, 
whenever there is even moderate ap- 
plause, the leader comes with apparent 
delight to the front, bows, and repeats a 
portion of the air. Whenever any great 
success is achieved by an orchestra, the 
applause is renewed until the entire or- 
chestra rise and bow to the audience. 
There is a constant demand for new mu- 
sical productions, and Johann Strauss 
devotes his whole time to the labor. 

MORE ABOUT CAFE LIFE. 

Not desiring to be shut up to the mo- 
notony of hotel life, we have invariably, 
whenever it was possible, mixed with the 
people, as affording better opportunities 
for obtaining correct information in re- 
gard to national peculiarities and modes 
of life. To-day we dine, breakfast, or sup 
in one restaurant or cafe, and to-morrow 
in a similar establishment in another sec- 
tion of the city ; and they are so numer- 
ous that they can be found at every turn. 
They are all excellent, and are invariably 
crowded with customers, including ladies, 
many of whom drop in unattended, par- 
take of their meals, and depart. It would 
almost seem that three-fourths of the 
population live entirely in these estab- 
lishments, as there are many hundreds 
of them which are also visited by the 
poorer classes. We took supper last 
evening at the Riedhof, where there 
could not have been fewer than twelve 
hundred ladies and gentlemen partaking 



of their evening repast. At the table on 
one side of us were four Turks, on the other 
side were four officers of the Austrian 
army, and in front of us four elegantly 
dressed ladies. No sooner was a table 
vacated than others waiting rushed to 
secure it. This establishment, with hun- 
dreds of others, is similarly crowded from 
seven to ten o'clock in the morning, from 
twelve to three in the afternoon, and 
from seven to eleven o'clock in the even- 
ing, but at all hours of the day there is 
a good attendance. They were mostly 
eating in the court-yard, under the trees, 
an abundance of gas-lights being inter- 
spersed. To eat out-of-doors is the de- 
light of the Viennese, and those estab- 
lishments that can furnish this luxury 
do the largest business in summer. In 
Paris the restaurants are chiefly up-stairs, 
whilst in Vienna they take the ground 
floor, and occupy the most valuable prop- 
erty and locations in the city. The food 
is also superior, in cooking and quality, 
to any that can be found in Paris, except 
in the fashionable and high-priced restau- 
rants. Everything is cooked to order, and 
served up fresh and hot from the kitchen. 
In the cafes, where coffee, bread, and eggs 
alone are served, the coffee is made fresh 
every half-hour, and in quality it is equal 
to the best that can be found at some of 
our old Maryland family tables. If all 
visitors to Vienna would do only their 
sleeping in the hotels, they would find it 
to be the most delightful city in Europe 
fur a prolonged sojourn. 

THE MODES OF GERMAN LIFE. 

Having heard much of the modes of 
social life of the German in the Father- 
land, both in approval and in condemna- 
tion, one of the purposes of this visit to 
Germany has been to give the readers of 
The American the opportunity of form- 
ing a fair judgment on what we hope 
they will deem unprejudiced and impar- 
tial testimony. If the love of music, 
and a high appreciation of its charms, are 
commendable, then no one can find fault 
with these assemblages, which are as 
quiet and orderly, and as free from all 
manner of excesses, as one of Theodore 
Thomas's concerts. Whilst listening to 
music they like to eat, drink beer, and 
smoke in the open air, the eating being, 
to the great mass of them, their usual 
evening repast. Many take coffee instead 
of beer, whilst the ladies are eating cakes 
or ices ; but even the children partake of 
beer. It is part of the food of every 
household, and there is nobody of any 



64 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



class of the community too high or too 
exclusive to join in these nightly gather- 
ings, which are to be found in all parts 
of Vienna. They are places of relaxa- 
tion after the labors of the day, and are 
so regarded and enjoyed liy the best peo- 
ple of the city. The good order that pre- 
vails is remarkable, and any unseemly 
noise or excess Avould cause the prompt 
removal of the offender. 

ABSENCE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS. 

There is not in the whole city of Vi- 
enna a place to obtain strong, intoxicat- 
ing liquors, in which any one of the 
visitors to Levell's or Geekie's could be 
coaxed to enter. It can only be found 
here, in any of its varieties, in what we 
would call low " rum-mills," frequented 
by hack-drivers, who are, in fact, the 
only class of people in Germany who 
have come down to the American level 
of making beasts of themselves. They 
are the only drunkards in this immense 
city, and, in fact, the only men who show 
in their countenances any evidence that 
their beverage is other than cold wjiter. 
We have seen Germans at home whom 
we regarded as swollen up and bloated 
with lager-beer, but now we are rather in- 
clined to suspect them of j^roducing this 
result by mixing whisky with their beer. 
The women here drink nearly as much 
beer as the men, and more healthy and 
finely developed specimens of feminine 
humanity cannot be found anywhere than 
are to be met in the restaurants of an 
evening, with their j^arents, husbands, 
brothers, or lovers, partaking of their 
evening repast, washed down Avith one or 
two goblets of the national beverage, 
which most of them were reared upon 
and vreaned with from the cradle. 

An American gentleman who has sev- 
eral times visited Vienna, and has traveled 
extensively in Europe, remarked to me 
to-day that he Avas* satisfied that there 
is no other people living who understand 
how to enjoy life so well as do the Vien- 
nese. Husbands, wives, and children all 
move about together, and enjoy them- 
selves in company. There are no anxious 
wives Avaiting and AA'atching for the com- 
ing home of husbands from convivial 
gatherings, and no occasions for " Caudle 
lectures" among the family men of Vi- 
enna. If nothing more could be alleged 
against them than their mode of eating 
and the quantity of beer they drink, they 
Avould be a very exemplary people. This 
mode of out-door life certainly has the 
merit of relieving the Avife from that 



greatest of all vexations of the present 
day, the management of the culinary de- 
partment. The old axiom, "As to to- 
morroAv, it will be time enough to consider 
it when it becomes to-day," is the favorite 
sentiment of the people, and, under the 
conviction that " a fresh mind keeps the 
body fresh," they have adopted as their 
practice and rule '• to take in the ideas 
of to-day, and drain off those of yester- 
day." They hold to the idea that by the 
enjoyment of life themselves they are con- 
tributing to the enjoyment of others. As 
to their Christian duties and the obser- 
vance of the Sabbath, no man has the right 
to judge theni. They attend church on 
Sunday morning, doff their hats and cross 
themselves before each of the numerous 
shrines erected along the thoroughfares 
as they pass, and spend the afternoon 
and CA'enings on Sunday in listening to 
music and engaging in social converse in 
the gardens, or attending the theatres or 
the opera. They consider life too short 
to lose any opportunity for its full enjoy- 
ment. 

SCARCITY OF AVATER. 

In connection with this subject of beer- 
drinking, the fact ought to be mentioned 
that drinking-Avater is not only scarce, 
and is a merchantable commodity, but 
that it is very unpalatable, and if drunk 
exclusively it is apt to lead to chronic 
affections of the bowels. It is so hard that 
it is difficult to wash the hands in it with 
any hope of their purification, the soap 
curdling and forming a sticky substance 
on the surface of the water. The only 
supply is from slow-running hydrants on 
the public streets, the water for other 
household purposes being obtained from 
cisterns, and being meted out in small 
quantities to the residents of the houses. 
The hydrants on the streets are thronged 
night and day by croAvds of girls and 
AA'omen waiting for their turn to fill their 
buckets and tubs, many of Avhora make a 
business of carrying supplies to families. 
Arrangements for a more extensive sup- 
ply of better Avater are being made, but it 
Avill be two or three years before the work 
is completed. 

THE BELVEDERE. 

Among the curiosities of Vienna is its 
Belvedere, an imperial chateau, erected 
by Prince Eugene of Savoy in 1722, 
Avhich consists of two separate buildings, 
the Upper and the Lower Belvedere. They 
are located on the eastern suburbs of the 
city, and are surrounded by grounds 
about a mile in length, laid out in gar- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



dens, and brilliant with flowei-s. Indeed, 
the flowersi, fountains, and gardens had 
more interest to us than the old paint- 
in;>;s, by the great masters of the Italian, 
Netherland, and German schools, with 
which the walls of these extensive pal- 
aces are covered. We spent about two 
hours in passing through these galleries, 
viewing some of the masterpieces of Paul 
Vei-onese, Rembrandt, Rubens, and others 
of the great masters. They were un- 
doubtedly very fine, but the wing devoted 
to modern paintings suited our taste much 
better, and we regretted that we did not 
enter this side of the palace first, as be- 
fore we got through with it one of the 
custodians gently hinted to us, by silently 
closing the blinds, that the hour for 
"shutting up the shop'' had arrived. 

It is always necessary to go to these 
old galleries, and it is always fashionable 
to go into ecstasies over the great pro- 
ductions of the "masters," if one wishes 
to be regarded as capable of appreciating 
high art ; but we would not give a view of 
the productions of the modern masters, 
as displayed in the gallery at the Expo- 
sition, for all the old paintings in Europe. 
We have spent a full day viewing these 
great productions, as well as the statuary 
and other works of art, and regretted 
that we could not give them more time ; 
but these musty old galleries, the Belve- 
dere being about the one hundred and 
fiftieth we have entered during our tra- 
vels, have long since lost all their attrac- 
tions. The structure itself, which was 
built just one hundred and fifty years 
ago, is very elegant, and the Marble 
Saloon is a fine specimen of the good 
taste of its builder. There are two or 
three other painting galleries, but, as we 
can find matters of considerably greater 
interest in and about Vienna, both to our- 
selves and the readers of The American, 
we have concluded to imagine that they 
are very fine, and all who read these let- 
ters will please to consider them wonder- 
ful specimens of ancient art. 

THE VIENNA BOURSE. 

After several unsuccessful attempts, on 
Friday we succeeded in getting admission 
to the hall of the Vienna Bourse. We 
fortunately had in our company Mr. A. 
G. Hutzler, of the firm of Ilutzler Bro- 
thers, of Baltimore. His fluent German 
secured us from the Director a ticket of 
admission, and we were soon in the midst 
of this extensive hall, surrounded by a 
seething mass of humanity, all in the 
5 



highest state of excitement. Old and 
young were mingled together, occasion- 
ally rushing about with as much fury as 
if they had suddenly discovered that the 
house was on fire. Some were yelling 
out offers of stock, and others bidding, 
and violently gesticulating. A stranger 
might suppose that it was a revolutionary 
gathering, and that the rush and croM^d 
around some of the bidders meant per- 
sonal violence. One of the most excited 
men in the room was an old fellow who 
had lost his eyesight, and was rushing 
hither and thither, literally " going it 
blind," in his anxiety to buy or sell stock. 
He seemed to distinguish persons by 
the sound of their voice, and addressed 
them by name. None of the meml)ers 
are allowed to enter the room with either 
a cane or umbrella, as they often come to 
blows on what are called " field days," 
and it is considei-ed unsafe to allow the 
presence of anything that might be used 
to punch out each other's eyes. 

The hall is nearly as long as the House 
of Representatives at Washington, and 
has a small gallery on one side for spec- 
tators, no one being permitted to go on 
the floor except members, unless with a 
special permit. We pleaded the privilege 
of the pass to go everywhere, and, after 
the exercise of considerable Yankee per- 
tinacity, the doors were opened to us. 
There are forty-six pillars around the 
hall, which are all numbered, and are 
the standing places of various prominent 
brokers, who are always to be found at 
their base whenever they have any stocks 
to dispose of There are also numerous 
stands throughout the room on which the 
names of difierent brokers are lettered. 
The "curb-stone brokers" gathered in 
front of the Bourse, -who are not permit- 
ted to enter, were quite as numerous, and 
almost as much excited, though it was 
represented to us as an extraordinarily 
quiet day. 

AUSTRIAN WOMEN. 

Whilst it would not do for any one to 
assert that Austria, and especially Vienna, 
is distinguished for the beauty of its 
women, it may be safely said that there 
are more really handsome women in Vi- 
enna than in any other city in Europe. To 
be sure, the great mass of the women of 
Austria are neither handsome of feature 
nor graceful in person, but whenever you 
find one of these prerequisites they seem 
to be all combined to a greater extent than 
is seen elsewhere. A woman here is 
either homely and ungraceful, or else she 



66 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



has all the graces and attractio-ns of the 
sex to perfection, Avith a bright and ani- 
mated countenance, sparkling eyes, and 
rosy cheeks, which are the essentials to 
female loveliness. The more elegant of 
them promenade the streets, with their 
robes trailing after them in the dirt and 
mud, with all the dignity of queens, and 
as erect and graceful in their movements 
as if they had been under military train- 
ing. Their blonde tresses, which appear 
to be the accompaniment of beauty here, 
are luxurious, and they have the more 
solid quality, generally, of being colored 
by nature as well as genuine. As in all 
blondes, the complexion corresponds ; and 
a young Baltimorean whispered in my 
ear last night, whilst gazing at one of 
these admirable specimens of female 
beauty, " She is as sweet as a peach." 
They dress, too, with the greatest taste, 
avoiding all mixture of colors, the tight- 
fitting velvet coat or jacket, trimmed with 
lace, being in great favor. 

But elderly Austrian ladies may be 
classed as among the decidedly homely 
and ungraceful. They do not seem to 
retain the beauty of youth long, but grad- 
ually develop into obesity, a waddle taking 
the place of the graceful step, and a saf- 
fron hue that of the peach-bloom which 
in early life graced their cheeks. They 
sparkle for a time, are gay, vivacious, 
and abound in animal spirits, but with 
matrimony and maternity they disappear 
like stars gone into an eclipse, and, as 
they age rapidly, the widow has but little 
opportunity of" recuperating and reap- 
pearing to reassert her claims to the 
admiration and devotion of the other sex. 
However, money, not love, governs every- 
thing here, and Avhoever will bring the 
most wealth to lay at her feet, and is 
willing to accept her from her parents 
Avith the smallest dower, can command 
beauty ; and if the widow happens to have 
been left well provided for by " the late 
lamented," she often becomes a formid- 
able rival to youthful charms. The 
laboring women, who are exposed to all 
weather from early youth, are very coarse, 
and have but little of the grace or attrac- 
tions of ordinary womanhood. Indeed, 
they appear more like men dressed in 
female attire, and most of them are strong 
and muscular enough to fell an ox with 
their fists. There are no tapering waists 
or ethereal forms among them, even in 
youth, and their blonde tresses become of 
a brick-dust hue from exposure, whilst the 
carrying of burdens on the head thins out 
the hair, and often before bhey reach the 



age of twenty -five a bald spot asserts itself 
on the top of the cranium. 

THE MILITARY ADONIS. 

His ]Majesty Francis Joseph is by no 
means a handsome or graceful man. Al- 
though of good height, he has a puny and 
effeminate appearance, and has the gen- 
eral aspect of a man who might, by sheer 
accident, break in two in the middle. He 
sits a saddle gracefully, however, and 
when mounted and arrayed in soldierly 
trappings, makes a very respectable ap- 
pearance. He evidently thinks that good- 
looking youths make the best officers, as 
it would be difficult to find a more pre- 
sentable-looking body of men than the 
thousands of colonels, majors, captains, 
and lieutenants who are strutting through 
the thoroughfares at all hours of the day 
and night, in their bright and elegant 
uniforms. They are all of good size, 
faultless in form and carriage, and walk 
along with the apparent conviction that 
they are objects of admiration. These 
men are seldom so indisci-eet as to marry, 
unless they should be proposed for by 
some youthful beauty with a large dower, 
but spend their days in scheming and 
their nights in executing all manner of 
lascivious designs against female virtue. 
The whole sex, whether married or single, 
are preyed upon, and the wife or daughter 
of their bosom friend is neither shielded 
nor protected from their wiles. They are 
so bold and unblushing in their lustful 
pursuits, that a lady without male com- 
pany, having any personal attractions, 
would be accosted twenty times in passing 
a few squares along the Ringstrasse. 
This practice has been so long in vogue 
that it creates none of that indignation 
that it would in an American community, 
and even the ladies no longer take off'ence 
at it. When thus accosted, a virtuous 
lady will exclaim, " You are mistaken, 
sir," but feels no more aggrieved than if 
she had been asked the simplest and most 
innocent question. Indeed, they seem, 
many of them, to regard such a salutation 
as a compliment to their personal attrac- 
tions. When it is taken into considera- 
tion that these youthful and middle-aged 
Adonises, glittering with tinsel and brass 
buttons, number several thousand, that 
they are all elegant specimens of human- 
ity, with all the airs and graces and se- 
ductive wiles of the professed libertine, 
and that they are known to be always on 
the war-path for new victims, the present 
state of morals in Vienna is not at all 
surprising. A striking instance of the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



67 



boldness of these officers was given a few 
weeks since. A respectable gentleman 
was sitting with his wife in one of the con- 
cert-gardens, when a waiter was handed 
a card to deliver to the wife by one of 
these officers, sitting at an adjoining table. 
The lady quietly passed the card to her 
husband, who immediately called the offi- 
cers to account, and struck one of them 
in the face. Swords were immediately 
drawn, and the spectators took sides with 
the insulted citizen. The swords were 
seized and wrested from the officers' hands, 
and one of them broken in pieces. The po- 
lice rushed in and arrested all the parties, 
and cliarges were made against the officers. 
A court-martial was promised, but in a 
few days they were transferred to one of 
the provinces. They were afterwards 
tried, and, it is reported, were acquitted. 
Besides, there are thirty thousand men in 
their commands who emulate their offi- 
cers and are ambitious to excel them in 
the number of their triumphs. 

EXCESS OF MILITARY. 

The number of military in and about 
Yienna is over thirty thousand, mostly 
youth under twenty years of age. They 
are serving the three years required by 
law, and have a pretty rough time of it. 
Youths are constantly arriving to take 
the place of those who have served out 
their terms. These boys are put under 
the severest training, and during the first 
year are exposed to all manner of hard- 
ships. Before six o'clock in the morn- 
ing they march out for company drill, 
and during most of the rest of the day 
are drilling in squads on all the parade- 
grounds in the city. The regimental pa- 
rades pass and repass through the city 
without attracting the slightest attention, 
unless they should have with them a 
good band of music. They are thus in- 
ured to all the exposure and hardships 
of a soldier's life, and their faces are al- 
most burnt black in the sun. If there 
are any of our people still so stark mad 
as to express a preference for monarchial 
government, let them come here and see 
the youth and flower of the land drawn 
away from their homes and crowded into 
these barrack prisons for three long 
years, all to aid in keeping in subjection 
their fathers and brothers. Thus the 
people are used to rivet their own chains, 
or to go out and be slaughtered by the 
thousand, to assist some neighboring po- 
tentate to carry out his ambitious designs 
or capricious whims. 



WAXT TO GO TO AMERICA. 

There is no doubt that, large as the 
emigration from Germany to the United 
States is, there are thousands here who 
are only waiting money and opportunity 
to join in it. In looking at the mam- 
moth press at the Exposition grounds a 
few days since, the pressman, on being 
informed of the nature of our calling, 
begged us to take him and his wife to 
America. Car-drivers and all manner of 
mechanics express a desire to go, but 
have not the means. Almost every one 
of them to Avhom we speak is looking 
forward to emigration, or expresses the 
hope that he may be able to join friends 
aud relatives there before many years. 
The laboring and agricultural women 
seem to regard America as the haven of 
all their hopes, and if there were three 
thousand miles of desert instead of water 
rolling between them there would be a 
general rush. In short, there is a great 
deal of militai'y pride, l)ut there does not 
appear to be much love for the " Father- 
land" on this side of the water. Among 
our Germans at home it is possibly dis- 
tance that lends enchantment to the 
view. Those who have wealth or have 
got into a money-making groove can live 
as well and happily here as in any other 
country in the world ; but as the poor 
man is by no means a curiosity, and the 
poor woman can be found without a very 
diligent search, and as the sons of these 
poor men and women think they can do 
without learning the art and mystery of 
war, the tendency of almost everybody 
is decidedly "Westward. 

A FIRST-CLASS FUNERAL. 

All funerals here are very much alike, 
but we to-day witnessed what is regarded 
as a first-class funeral. First came two 
mounted outriders, on black horses, with 
black cloth swallow-tailed coats, trimmed 
with silver lace, epaulettes on their shoul- 
ders, and swords at their sides. They 
each carried in their hands black poles, 
about six feet in length, on the tops of 
which were large silver lanterns, with a 
light burning within. They wore black 
chapeaus, also trimmed with silver lace. 
The trappings of the horses were heavily 
covered with black trimmings, present- 
ing a very sombre aspect. Next came 
the hearse, not much different from th'e 
most elegant of our city hearses, but 
more ponderous, and drawn by six sol- 
emn black horses, arrayed similarly to 
those of the outriders, they being almost 
covered with mourning harness. The 



68 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



two foremost horses of the six drawing the 
hearse also had postilions mounted upon 
them, wearing the same funeral uniform 
as the outriders. Two men, similarly ar- 
rayed, occupied the driver's seat, and on 
the sides of the hearse twelve more of 
these ^?'at"e-looking gentlemen marched 
along, with large silver-gilt candlesticks 
in their hands, with candles burning. 
Eight carriages followed, horses and 
everything else of the blackest black, 
and a driver and footman upon each, 
wearing the funeral garb. These men 
make a business of burials, and take 
charge of everything, keejjing carriages' 
and horses that are not used for any 
other purpose. The extent of the dis- 
play they make is governed entirely by 
the amount paid. Sometimes the body 
is carried to the grave on the shoulders 
of the same men, in the same uniform, 
with the same candles and other para- 
phernalia of death. 

POSTAL CARDS. 

The " postal cards," which have just 
been introduced in the United States, are a 
European notion, and if they should prove 
as popular at home as they are here, will 
yield a large revenue to the Depart- 
ment. Everybody seems to use them 
hei'e, both for mail and local delivery. 
It is said that not less than fifty thou- 
sand pass through the Vienna post-office 
daily, and sometimes the number is even 
larger. The letter-carriers are kept con- 
stantly in motion delivering them, they 
being largely used for local business pur- 
poses. We have had occasi(Tn to use over 
a dozen of them during our sojourn here, 
and have found them very convenient, as 
a sharp lead-pencil answers the purpose 
of ink. We frequently see a gentleman 
lay one on top of a letter-box in the 
streets, write a note, direct it, and drop it 
in. The post delivery, both here and in 
Prussia, is very pronipt, and notes thus 
sent from one part of the city to another 
are generally delivered in about two 
hours. Instead of having the letters in 
the boxes collected by carriers, they are 
taken to the post-office in wagons, boxes 
and all, a new box being left in place of 
the old one. The letter-box is an oblong 
iron box, with a hole in it, which is 
locked up inside of a larger iron box, 
with a corresponding hole. The empty 
boxes are brought in the carriage and 
exchanged for the full ones. The ar- 
rangement is very simple and expeditious, 
the wagon flying around on its route 
Avith great rapidity. 



RESPECT FOR THE LAW. 

The Austrian has great respect for the 
law and its officers. Such a thing as an 
attempt to escape from a police-officer is 
never known in Vienna. It is not ne- 
cessary for a policeman to arrest and drag 
an offender to the station-house. All he 
has to do is to say to a man, " You are 
under arrest," and the man will stand 
stock still until the officer has time to 
attend to him. The certainty of punish- 
ment if he should do otherwise may have 
much to do with this. The resistance of 
an officer of the law would, however, 
bring every bystander to his assistance, 
as it is not the officer, but the representa- 
tive of the law, that they would regard 
as being outraged. In the public squares, 
if a citizen should witness any violation 
of the rules and regulations he would feel 
it his duty to arrest the offender at once 
and hand him over to an officer. There 
is no class of people who disregard the 
law except the carriage-drivers, and they 
are brought up by the fifties every day. 
As their offenses are mostly against 
strangers, who do not wish to be at the 
trouble of informing upon them, they can 
afford to pay the fines in a few cases for 
the profits they make from the many. 
A citizen pays what the law allows, 
and if the driver demurs he jumps back 
in the carriage and tells him to drive to 
the station-house. This has the desired 
effect, and the growling ceases. 

But in all other respects the law in 
Vienna is supreme. Punishment of the 
severest character is sure to follow its 
slightest violation. Noise or improper 
conduct on the streets is never heard ; 
but as men here never get drunk, that 
may be one of the causes of this differ- 
ence from other large cities. 

LOVE OF MUSIC. 

In no Other city of Europe are there so 
many large bands of skilled musicians 
as there are in Vienna. They each 
number between fifty and sixty per- 
formers, and there are at least sixty or- 
chestral bands each of which is as perfect 
as that of Theodore Thomas. On Sunday 
afternoons every garden around the city, 
even those where the working classes 
resort, has one or more of these bands in 
attendance, the price of admission being 
from thirty to fifty kreutzers, or from 
fifteen to twenty-five cents. They per- 
form operatic music, or some of the lively 
productions of Strauss, and all classes 
seem to be equally critical in their 
judgment of the character of their per- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



09 



formance. Yesterday (Sunday) eveninfr 
we visited a number of the gardens, and 
'"""ind whole families, including the chil- 
dren, taking their evening meal or in- 
dulging in beer and cigars, and listen- 
ing to the music. In most of them there 
were as many ladies as gentlemen pres- 
ent, and they all jDresented scenes of 
innocent recreation and enjoyment. At 
the Volksgarten the celebrated band of 
Strauss, led by himself, was in attend- 
ance, and there was here assembled as 
fashionable an audience as could be found 
at any of the great two-dollar concerts 
in America, the price of admission being 
only thirty cents. At the Neue Welt 
there were five bands in attendance, and 
an audience of several thousand around 
each of them. Music is both good and 
cheap, and a poor or inefficient band 
would be nowhere tolerated for a moment. 
We took our suppers at a garden in the 
southern suburbs of the city, which is 
principally visited by mechanics, and 
here found one of the great bands that was 
performing on the grounds of the Ex- 
position at our last visit, discoursing most 
delightful music, the pieces performed 
being successively announced by placard. 
The same quiet and good order prevailed 
as at the more fashionable resorts. On 
Saturday night we visited the Blunien- 
saal, or Floral Hall, being an immense hall 
with two wings, in the shape of the letter 
T. Here the orchestra consisted of sixty 
females, a portion of them being the same 
orchestra that visited the United States a 
few years since. There was an immense 
audience, and their performance elicited 
great applause. The military are, of 
course, the organizers of the l)est of these 
bands ; but still there are a number of 
independent organizations of great merit. 
The great Baden-Baden Band, which per- 
forms every afternoon from four to nine 
o'clock at the principal stand at the Ex- 
position grounds, is an independent orga- 
nization, and is believed to have no 
superior in the world. Gambling having 
been stopped at Baden-Baden, their oc- 
cupation was at an end, and they are 
under engagement for the entire duration 
of the Exposition. 

THE POLICE OF VIENNA. 

The police of Vienna wear a semi- 
military dress of green cloth, with a 
jacket-coat closely buttoned up to the 
throat with brass buttons. Each police- 
man carries a sword at his side, and pre- 
sents quite a military aspect. Around his 
neck, suspended close under his chin, 



is a brass j^late, crescent-shaped, upon 
which, in large black figures, is engraved 
his number. What is the extent of the 
force, we have not ascertained ; but the 
highest numbers we have yet seen upon 
these plates was three thousand four hun- 
dred and twenty-seven. These policemen 
are to be seen everywhere, in all sections 
of the city, but seem to have little or 
nothing to do. The city is so orderly 
that they merely walk their rounds, their 
presence, apparently, being all that is 
necessary for the preservation of the 
peace. There are a few of them mounted ; 
but perhaps these are merely for the 
llingstrasse during the time of the Ex- 
jiosition. They wear their swords grace- 
fully, having all served their three years 
in the army. Most of them are not over 
thirty years of age, and they are selected 
with great care as to their private stand- 
ing in the community. 

DOGS AND HORSES. 

The dog is not so generally used for 
work in Vienna as in Berlin and Dres- 
den, though dogs can occasionally be 
seen drawing small wagons. Those that 
work are, however, the happiest of dogs, 
as they tug at the harness Avith all their 
strength, and the greatest good will. We 
saw a man pulling a wagon for a short 
distance the other day, he having unhar- 
nessed his dog, which was yelping at 
him, and taking hold of the shaft with 
his teeth, being apparently unwilling 
that the wagon should move without his 
having a share of the burden. Nearly 
all the hauling here is done by horses, 
and they are mostly large and elegant- 
looking animals, of great strength. A 
carriage never moves along the street at 
a slow pace, but is driven with great 
speed, regardless of the people who may 
be crossing the streets. A few evenings 
since, in returning from the Neue Welt, 
the speed was so great that we feared 
every moment we should be run over by 
the passing vehicles, or be overturned at 
some of the corners. 

[We again left Vienna for a trip down 
the Danube and through Hungary to 
Trieste and Venice, the letters describing 
which will be found in another portion 
of this volume. We returned to Vienna 
again on the 17th of July.] 

Vienna, .July 18, 1873. 

RETURN TO VIENNA. 

We are back again in Vienna, intend- 
ing to bid it a final adieu one week hence. 
We have become so familiar with the city, 



70 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and are so charmed with its attractions, 
that it seems almost like going home to 
get hack here again from our wanderings. 
We know exactly where to go to find 
good quarters, good music, and good eat- 
ing. We know all the multiplicity of 
signs on the various street-cars which 
crowd the Ringstrasse, and we jointly 
know sufficient German to make ourselves 
understood in an emergency. 

STRANGERS BETTER TREATED. 

We are pleased to find that the catei-- 
ers of Vienna have at last come to their 
senses, and are more kind, courteous, and 
liberal to the strangers visiting the Expo- 
sition. There is now little or no com- 
plaint anywhere, and visitors are not hur- 
rying away after a hasty view of the Ex- 
position. The hotels are not, however, 
so crowded as those of Paris are reported 
to be, and it is becoming the settled 
opinion that there will be no such rush of 
strangers here as was anticipated. There 
is an intense feeling among the better 
class of people against those whose grasp- 
ing propensities have so greatly damaged 
the character of the city, and upon them 
is laid the blame of having rendei'ed the 
Exposition a comparative failure in a fi- 
nancial point of view. Good rooms can 
now be had at the best hotels at from two 
to four florins per day, and the restau- 
rants have all come down to ante-Exposi- 
tion prices. 

MISFORTUNES IN VIENNA. 

The cholera is making its appearance in 
the suburbs of Vienna, and there are a 
dozen or more cases reported daily. There 
have been some cases in the hotels, but 
they were parties who came from Turkey, 
where it is prevailing to a considerable 
extent. The financial losses to Vienna 
from the Exposition, which was looked 
forward to with such confidence as a 
means of placing it at the pinnacle of 
prosperity, have already been immense. 
A good crop in Hungary was looked to 
as a sure means of resuscitating business 
and saving Vienna, but from all parts 
of that grain-growing country come ac- 
counts of serious damage to the wheat 
crop from rust. The fates seem to be 
arrayed against her. Three months ago 
everybody thought that the people would 
be rolling in wealth by this time, and 
that the whole world would be pouring 
in its tribute. Then the Exposition was 
regarded as the " goose that was to lay 
the golden egg." Now it is viewed as 
having been the cause of all their woes, 



no one being willing to acknowledge that 
their own folly has brought upon them 
most of their troubles. All now are anx- 
ious that the time should come for killing 
and cooking the goose that has brought 
disaster instead of prosperity to Vienna. 

RESPECT FOR THE LAW. 

We have already alluded to the uni- 
versal respect for the law, and for the 
oflicers of the law, which is main- 
tained throughout Austria. To resist an 
officer of the law, as we before stated, is 
regarded as a most heinous offense, not 
against the man, but against the majesty 
of the law. Such an offense as that of 
attacking a member of the City Council 
as he came from the Council Chamber, as 
recently occurred in Baltimore, would 
have given the oSender imprisonment for 
life at hard labor. A case has recently 
occurred here in Vienna illustrative of 
this sentiment, which we will relate for 
the benefit of Judge Gilmor and all other 
judges who may have in charge the trial 
and sentence of parties guilty of such 
offenses. 

Since the commencement of the Exposi- 
tion, several mounted policemen have been 
stationed at the head of the Priiterstrasse 
to carry out the published regulations 
with regard to carriages coming from and 
going to the Prater. A few weeks ago, 
the young Baron von Heine dashed along 
with his team of spirited horses, and was 
halted by the police and directed to pro- 
ceed on the other side of the street. He 
was indignant at the interruption, gave 
the whip to his horses, and drove on, but 
was soon interrupted by two other police- 
men, when he again applied his whip to 
both the horses and the officers. He was 
immediately dragged from his seat and 
sent to the station, where he presented his 
card and was allowed to depart. A trial 
was, however, ordered, and he Avas sen- 
tenced to fifteen months' imprisonment 
at hard labor, and to forfeit his title of 
Baron, with all its rights and privileges. 
He is now in jail, waiting the result of an 
appeal to the Supreme Court, which lias 
the power to modify the punishment, but 
cannot restore to him his title. This can 
only be done by the Emperor, and not 
even by him until the expiration of five 
years. Thus it will be seen that neither 
money nor station is an exemjition to 
those who violate law or resist an officer in 
the performance of his duty. Baron von 
Heine is a nephew of the celebrated Ger- 
man poet Heinrich Heine, and his father 
is a millionaire, being also the editor 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



71 



and proprietor of the Fremden Blatt, one 
of the leading papers of Vienna. It is 
thought that the court will reduce the 
time of imprisonment to six months, but 
that the general verdict will be approved. 

THE GERMAN BIRTHDAY. 

The celebration of the anniversary of 
the birthday is observed in Germany to 
a much greater extent than in any other 
country. We Americans, who allow our 
birthdays to come and go almost without 
remembering or noting their occurrence, 
cannot but admire the kindly feeling 
evinced by relations and friends, especially 
towards ladies and children, on these occa- 
sions. During our stay at the springs at 
Hall, a number of the lady guests cele- 
brated their annivers.aries. All their 
friends and acquaintances at Hall sent 
them immense bouquets, one lady receiv- 
ing as many as twenty, whilst boxes fi-om 
home were at hand, with cakes and pres- 
ents and letters with loving greetings. 
We had the pleasure of participating in 
one of these anniversaries, the lady being 
a native of Baltimore, of German parents, 
temporarily residing in Germany. At 
least ten immense bouquets decorated the 
room, whilst the presents from friends 
and relatives were spread out upon a 
table like bridal oflerings. Her acquaint- 
ances called during the day to congratu- 
late her and partake of cake and wine, 
and all went on as merry as a nmrriage 
bell. Her parents were too distant to 
participate in the festivities at Hall, but 
she assured us that the day was being 
similarly celebrated at a certain mansion 
on Madison Avenue, and that cake and 
wine would be partaken of by a band 
of little orphan children in whom she 
felt a deep interest. Although far from 
home and relatives, many presents and 
kind greetings reached her from friends 
in Vienna, where she has made her home 
for the past year. These observances at 
a summer resort were, of course, but 
tame aflairs compared to the day cele- 
brated at home, surrounded by parents, 
sisters, and brothers, but were sufficient 
to give us some idea of this l)eautiful cus- 
tom of the Fatherland. Everything is 
done, however, to make it a merry festival, 
even the servants di-essing the dinner- 
table with flowers, whilst the health of 
the absent ones is toasted, and the whole 
day is devoted to innocent festivities. 

PROGRESS OF THE EXPOSITION. 

The main building of the Exposition, 
in which all the shop-goods of England, 



France, and the other European nations 
are exhibited, has become the least in- 
teresting portion of the display. To the 
rural visitor the attraction still holds 
good, but to those who come from large 
cities it soon becomes like gazing in at 
the shop-windows of their own stores, 
on displays of rich goods and fancy 
novelties. The machinery department, 
the agricultural buildings, and the gal- 
leries of paintings and statuar^r, are the 
great attractions. These will interest the 
visitor after a dozen visits ; but the main 
structure is now little more than a 
promenade hall, through which the peo- 
ple stroll to see each other, giving little 
more than a glance at the goods on exhi- 
bition. They view it rather as a whole, 
presenting a grand scene to the vision in 
every direction, scarcely ever stopping 
to examine anything, unless it be to take 
a glance at some of the' cases in which 
there is a magnificent display of dia- 
monds, which have a never-failing in- 
terest to the ladies. 

THE AMERICAN DEPARTMENT. 

The goods on exhibition in the Ameri- 
can department continue to command 
as much attention as those of any other 
country in the Exposition, if not more. 
They have the merit of being nearly all 
novelties, and the only articles of their 
kind to be found in the Exposition. There 
are no fancy goods, and very few of the 
ornamental, but they partake rather of 
the necessary and the useful. The ap- 
preciation of visitors is shown by the 
fact that, comparatively small as the dis- 
jday is, there are more articles marked 
" sold" than in the department of any 
other country. It is, in fact, the only 
department in the main building where 
visitors closely examine everything, for 
the reason that they are mostly articles 
which have never been seen before in Eu- 
rope, and have been brought here because 
they are new. The American division of 
the machinery department attracts great 
attention, and nearly every piece of ma- 
chinery has upon it a card with the word 
" sold" printed in large letters. This of 
itself is a mark of appreciation that is 
unmistakable. So also in the American 
agricultural building nearly all the reap- 
ers and mowers are marked " sold," as 
well as many of the drills, horse-rakes, 
and plows. Indeed, it is evident that 
there will be very little of what has been 
brought here from the United States to 
be taken back again ; and when at Trieste 
last week our consul told us that one of 



72 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



the vessels which brought the floods over 
was about to be sent home. The Ameri- 
can machinery for the manufacture of 
shoes, of which there is a good disphiy, 
attracts great attention. It was in mo- 
tion to-day, and so great was the throng 
of s2:)ectators that we could not get within 
ten feet of the rail that surrounds it. It is 
also all marked " sold," and many oi'ders 
have been received for similar machines. 
In photography the American display 
not only exceeds that of every other 
country in the way of execution, but the 
ladies whose likenesses are presented 
are regarded as wonderful specimens of 
female beauty. Many of them are of 
life size, and are presented in rich and 
tasteful attire, with none of that expo- 
sure of the person by low-necked dresses 
which distinguishes the European photo- 
graphs. 

TUE CATHOLIC SHRINES. 

Austria exceeds Italy in the number 
of its roadside and street-side shrines. 
They are also more elaborate and costly, 
and most of them are kept constantly 
decorated with fresh flowers, especially 
during the season of flowers. On the 
road between Hall and Steyer, a distance 
of less than ten miles, there are more 
than a dozen, and in the town of Steyer 
they stand sentry on the ])ri(lges and 
are to Ije seen at every turn in the streets. 
Most of them are life-size images of the 
Saviour on the cross, whilst others are 
paintings of the Virgin and Child. Dur- 
ing our extensive journeyings on the 
railroads in Austria similar represetita- 
tions of the Crucifixion were to be seen 
in the fields, on the roadside, and along 
the turnpikes. There are thousands of 
them in every direction, and they are all 
kept bright and attractive. The field- 
hands in passing them invariably cross 
themselves, and many of the women and 
children kneel and say a brief prayer. 
Our carriage-driver on the way from Hall 
raised his hat to every shrine; and in the 
streets of Steyer a similar token of 
prayerful recognition was observed on 
the part of every man and woman who 
passed them. They are not so numer- 
ous in Vienna, but they are seldom 
passed by any one who does not either 
cross himself or raise his hat. That the 
largest religious freedom is enjoyed in 
Austria, however, is evident everywhere. 
A weekly illustr.ated paper, called Der 
Floli ("The Flea"), something like the 
London Punch, but far more amusing in 
its wit, striking right and left at men and 



things, and unsparing in its sarcasm, has 
a full-page illustration every week that 
might be regarded as most ofl'ensive to 
the Catholics. The Pope is lampooned 
more freely than Nast presents him and 
the Catholics in Harper's Weekly. Crowds 
of people can be seen at the paper-stands 
laughing at the bites of "the flea," and 
apparently enjoying the fun of the thing. 
In a country so intensely Catholic this 
would never have been allowed before 
the days of " infallibility," which has 
loosened the power of the Church over the 

Eeople throughout Europe. The shrine, 
owever, is undoubtedly an hourly re- 
minder to the people of their religious 
duties, and no Christian of any denomi- 
nation can fail to recognize its utility. 

LOVE OF FLOWERS. 

The Austrians are passionately fond 
of flowers in all grades of life. Every 
little cottage or hovel has its flower-garden, 
whilst the windows are always decorated 
with flowers in full bloom. The dwell- 
ings of the wealthier classes also abound 
in flowers, and the demand for bouquets 
in town and country is immense. A 
birthday celebration brings a bouquet 
from every friend and acquaintance, — not 
a little bunch of flowers, but a huge col- 
lection of all the flowers in bloom, ar- 
ranged with artistic taste. Tiie ladies 
of our party, when they left Hall yester- 
day for Vienna, found themselves literally 
covered with huge bouquets, as we sat in 
the carriage about taking our departure. 
Every friend sent a floral ofl'ering ; and 
thus it is invariably at the parting of 
friends. Another birthday was being 
celebrated when we left, and, after a 
serenade at seven o'clock by a lull band 
of music, the floral offerings commenced 
to flow in. When we left, at nine o'clock, 
the room of tbe lady whose birtliday was 
being celebrated was decorated Avith 
flowers, and in the centre of the room a 
large circular table, with a floral wreath 
around the edge, contained a disjilay of 
the more substantial and enduring pres- 
ents that friends and relatives had sent 
her. 

The display of flowers in the public 
squares of Vienna is truly grand. The 
artistic arrangement of floral colors is 
sometimes attempted in Paris and in 
London, but never reaches the perfec- 
tion attained in Vienna. Indeed, flowers 
are universally cultivated here so as to 
variegate the colors of both leaves and 
flowers, difl"erent plants being intermixed 
and grown in the same bed, so as to present 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



73 



distinctly-marked lines, circles, parallel- 
ograms, and even figures and lettering. 
These iloral displays are not protected by 
fences, but are in most cases open to the 
street, and any one attempting to disturb 
them would be arrested by any citizen 
who happened to witness the act. Cows 
are not allowed to run at large in this 
country, and cattle are never driven 
through the streets. If a cow should nuxke 
its appearance, it would be made beef of 
on the spot. If the freedom of Vienna 
were given to cows, they would make sad 
havoc in twenty-four hours ; and if it is 
intended to make an attractive city of 
Baltimore, they must either be kept up 
or ke^Jt out of its limits. 

POODLE DOGS. 

Whilst the lai-ge dogs in Austria are 
taught to work, and make themselves use- 
ful in various ways, the little fellows are 
taken to the bosoms of the ladies and 
treated as if they were veritable angels. 
It is not uncommon when traveling to 
see almost every lady with a dog in her 
arms, occasionally accompanied by a foot- 
man or maid, whose duty in traveling with 
the mistress is to take care of the dog 
and see that it has water and food on the 
route. The doctors tell many amusing 
anecdotes of being called up at midnight 
and finding that their services are needed 
for a poodle that has been overfed in the 
efibrt to kill it with kindness. They 
could make heavier charges with the 
assurance of prompt payment in such 
cases than if the patient were a child 
or a husband. " Love me, love my dog," 
seems to be the sentiment of these ladies : 
on one occasion we saw a finely dressed 
lady who had her dog in her arms take off 
her gloves wliilst standing in a depot, and 
diligently jiursue and kill a flea wliich 
she had discovered depredating among 
the fleece of her favorite. It is quite 
common to see dogs led tenderly along 
with ribbons, and in some cases to see a 
gold chain attached to a lady's belt, and 
at the other end of the chain a poodle dog 
traveling by her side or reposing in her 
arras. Signs in the shop-windows tell 
you that "Dog soap is sold here," and 
that various patent compounds that will 
induce canine health and longevity are 
on sale. A lady walking in any of the 
public grounds without a dog is sure to 
be accosted by a number of seedy-looking 
individuals who will draw out of their 
pockets pups, which they offer for 
sale. The offering for sale of anything in 
the public grounds being prohibited by 



law, they keep them concealed in their 
pockets. In the upper grades of life a 
mother trusts her children to servants 
and governesses, but her pt)odle dog she 
keeps under her own eye, and a scream 
from the nursery might pass unheeded, 
but a yelp from the drawing-room or the 
boudoir would scartle madam from the 
soundest sleep. Of course these are ex- 
ceptional cases ; but the passion for pet 
dogs is shared by most of those who aspire 
to fashionable life. We see dogs caressed 
much more than children are, and their 
comfort studied with jealous care. 

SCARCITY OF ArOTlIECARIES. 

An hour's walk this morning through 
the most populous parts of Vienna, in 
search of a Seidlitz powder, was a fail- 
ure, so far as the object of the search 
was concerned. We could not find an 
apothecary-shop in all this long walk and 
diligent search. In the same space we 
could have found fifty in Baltimore, or in 
any other American city. Being in pursuit 
of knowledge, we made inquiry as to the 
cause of this scarcity, desiring to know 
whether the sages of Vienna had discov- 
ered that Shakspearc was right when he 
consigned "physic to the dogs." The 
physicians of whom we inquired as- 
sured us that, although the ])eople did 
not physic themselves much in Vienna, an 
average amount of medicine was con- 
sumed. The scarcity of apothecaries 
grew out of the fact that the law was 
very strict as to the qualifications of all 
as[)irants, and that they must oljtain a 
certificate from an examining board, all 
of whom are apothecaries, and interested 
in restricting the number. Thus it is 
that the luisiness is kept in certain fami- 
lies, and that very few, except such of their 
children as take a fancy to the business, 
are inducted into its mysteries. The diffi- 
culty that a stranger experienced in find- 
ing them was partly owing to the fact 
that they had no competition in their sev- 
eral neighborhoods, made very little dis- 
play, and very often had their establish- 
ments in back streets or courts, where 
convenience or cheap rent induced the 
location. They charge high prices, and 
are generally quite wealthy. 

Vienna, July 21, 1873. 

AMERICAN CnURCH-GOlNG. 

Yesterday was Sunday, and we at- 
tended the American Chapel, which has 
been opened during the Exposition, ex- 
pecting to find a large attendance of 
Americans, as there must be over a thou- 



74 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



sand of them now in the city. On the 
contrary, when the minister came to the 
desk there were precisely eleven persons 
in the church, including Minister Jay. 
Before the sermon commenced they had 
increased to sixteen. From this it is evi- 
dent that when Americans are traveling 
in Europe they are more disposed to join 
in the merry out-door life of the people 
than to attend to their religious duties. 
AVe dropped in during the afternoon 
at the Volksgarten, where a concert by 
one of the great military bands was in 
progress, and found at least one hundred 
Americans among the audience, sipping 
their coffee and ices. There was a large 
and fashionable audience in attendance, 
including a large number of Viennese 
ladies. Many of the latter had gentle- 
men accompanying them, but a still 
larger number came unattended, took 
their seats at the tables, and called for 
refreshments and coffee with as free and 
easy a manner as those of the sterner sex. 
The rule is that a woman has the right 
to go wherever a man can properly go, 
and thus far woman has obtained and 
maintains her rights in Vienna. These 
concerts commence at five o'clock and 
continue until eleven o'clock, admission 
thirty cents, and during that time the 
audience changes two or three times, 
people being always coming and going. 

THE AUSTRIAN LADIES. 

A young lady writes to us from Balti- 
more, urging us to let her know " how 
the Vienna ladies dress," " how they 
wear their hair," " whether they are 
pretty," or "whether they are only 
youthful prototypes of the stout, red- 
faced German women who arrive in the 
emigrant-steamers." As there are proba- 
bly many others of our lady readers de- 
sirous of categorical answers to these 
important questions, we will endeavor, 
to the best of our ability, to give them 
the required information. If by beauty 
our correspondent means that description 
of prettiness termed ethereal, with slight- 
ness of form and delicacy of feature and 
expression, there are no beauties in Aus- 
tria. If, on the other hand, a well-devel- 
oped form, with a bust such as is only at 
times attained by matrons of other coun- 
tries, but not so great as to prevent a 
slender waist and expanding hips, need- 
ing neither bustles nor distending con- 
trivances to make up a good figure, is her 
estimate of one of the requisites of beauty, 
then the young women of Austria are 
nearly all beautiful. If to these quali- 



ties are added a bright countenance and 
lively expression, then we would consider 
all reared in gentle life as having some 
claims to the beautiful. So far as features 
and complexion are concerned, the num- 
ber of beautiful women is rather limited, 
but still there are enough to charm the 
eye at every turn on the Pkingstrasse or 
on the promenade at the Prater. They 
nearly all have good forms and erect car- 
riage, rather graceful than otherwise ; 
and when these are accompanied by a 
beautiful complexion, regular features, 
and flowing ringlets, which is very often 
the case, it would be difficult for even 
Baltimore to excel the beauties of Vienna. 
The Hungarian women, of whom there 
are a large number always in Vienna, are 
famous for personal beauty, having all 
the form, feature, and complexion re- 
quired to charm the eye. We may also 
add that a Viennese lady is always full 
of animation and vivacity, and has been 
reared to the enjoyment of life regardless 
of many of the constraints that are put 
upon her sex in other countries. 

HOW THEY DRESS. 

" HoAT do the Vienna ladies dress ?" 
Well, the ladies of Vienna wear no bus- 
tles, and we may as well speak plainly, 
and add that it is because most of them 
need none. In all other respects they 
follow the same fashions that the ladies 
of America adopt. Their dresses and 
overskirts have all the folds, frills, plaits, 
points, ruffles, laces, and trimmings that 
are to be found in Paris, and their skirts 
drag in the dirt of the pavement just as 
long, and gather up as much filth, as those 
of the sisterhood of the rest of the civil- 
ized nations. The only difference that 
we have observed in this respect is that 
they wear all their underskirts with trails 
also, and when the pavements are wet and 
dirty they let them drag much more reck- 
lessly than the ladies of Baltimore do. 
They seldom raise them to avoid a puddle, 
but move on as unconcernedly as if their 
skirts were trailing over a velvet carpet. 

HOW TIIEY WEAR THEIR HAIR. 

" IIow do the Vienna ladies wear their 
hair?" In answer to this query we must 
inform our querist that most of the ladies 
wear tlieir own hair. Being compelled to 
dress it in simple plaits whilst children 
and until they enter society, it is not pre- 
maturely destroyed by crimping-irons and 
frizzing and twisting into tight knots, 
but obtains its full natural growth. Thus, 
most young ladies have a splendid head 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



75 



of hair, " all their owu," which costs 
nothing. Perhaps for this latter reason 
they do not value it as much as they would 
if it depended upon purchase, and hence 
they do not evince much skill or good 
taste in dressing it. It is generally gath- 
ered into a loose and careless-looking 
knot on the back and top of the head, or 
carelessly packed into a net, and looks as 
if it had been tossed about in a wind- 
storm. Sometimes there is a flower stuck 
on the side of the head, without regard 
to size or quality, so that it is red. The 
practice of " banging " the front hair and 
allowing it to straggle over the forehead 
is almost universal among the young 
ladies, and detracts much from their per- 
sonal beauty. They do not wear the 
hat down over the eyes, but place it on 
the back of the head, leaving the front 
hair and the " bangs " exposed in reckless 
and careless abandon., which seems now 
to be the ruling fashion. But, notwith- 
standing this neglect of the greatest or- 
nament of the sex, they look beautiful as 
they promenade the streets, and, if in 
conversation, the countenance is always 
beaming with animation and the eyes arc 
sparkling with fun. Some, however, wear 
ringlets hanging down their backs. The 
Viennese, whether male or female, are 
intent on the present enjoyment of life, 
and are always in a merry mood. They 
never think of to-morrow, " nor meet 
troubles half-way." They are not cen- 
sorious or proud, but treat every one vrho 
behaves like a lady or a gentleman in pub- 
lic as if his or her record were untarnished. 
They all live a free and easy life, and if 
any of them choose to carry their freedom 
to extremes they regard it as their own 
business and nobody else's. 

ladies' bonnets. 
Having given this summaiy of the per- 
sonal appearance of the ladies of Vienna, 
in response to our fair correspondent, the 
picture will not be complete without de- 
scribing their head-gear. As to bonnets, 
they have been entirely discarded by both 
the young and the old, and hats are now 
universally worn. They are precisely the 
same description of hats as are worn by 
the ladies of Baltimore, being of every 
conceivable shape and material. They 
are profusely trimmed with artificial flow- 
ers, with streamers of lace and flowering 
vines trailing down the back. In short, 
they are precisely the same " loves of bon- 
nets" that the ladies of Baltimore aspire 
to, but, being worn on the Imck of the 
head, instead of close down on the fore- 



' head, look much prettier in the bandbox 
than tliey do on the promenade. If a 
dozen of these Viennese ladies were to 
stroll out Charles Street, they would not, 
by any peculiarity of dress or personal 
appearance, except the way they wear 
their bonnets, be suspected of being for- 
eigners. Many of them are as pretty and 
graceful as the handsomest of our Balti- 
more ladies, and they all seem to be in 
the enjoyment of excellent health. A 
delicate-looking young lady is seldom 
seen among the belles of Vienna. 

THE WOKKING-WOMEN. 

The " stout, red-faced German women 
who arrive in the emigrant- steamers" 
come from the rural districts, and have 
been raised to a life of toil which has 
hardened their muscles and made them 
short and shapeless specimens of hu- 
manity. Most of their mothers for seve- 
ral generations back have lived in the 
same daily routine of masculine labor until 
the female has lost all her traces of grace- 
ful form and feature. They are, however, 
sober and industrious people, simple in 
their tastes and wants, and are free from 
the vanity which is attributed to the sex of 
most other countries. There are very few 
of these to be seen in Vienna, except at 
the markets. The laboring women of the 
cities are of an entirely dilferent class, 
and, though strong and muscular, have 
none of the healthy complexion that the 
countrywomen carry with them. Men 
who do coarse laboring work at home be- 
come rough and coarse, and these women, 
from constant exposure to the sun and 
the hard lives they live, become even 
coarser in their features than men. Be- 
fore they are " out of their teens" they 
look like rough and dirty boys in female 
attire, though they all wear long boots, 
and many of them old and ragged coats. 
They climb up ladders to the tops of five- 
story buildings, with buckets of mortar 
or brick balanced on their heads, wheel 
wheelbarrows, and handle the shovel and 
pick with all the muscular agility of men. 
They are arrayed in a mixed attire, with 
long boots, old coats, pantaloons ; and the 
skirt or petticoat is about the only femi- 
nine garment that is distinguishable. 
They eat their meals on the curb-stone, 
and sleep in cellars and sheds. They have 
never known any better life, and seem to 
be contented. The rest of the community 
pays no attention to them, regarding them 
rather as beasts of burden than specimens 
of humanity. "What's the odds, so we 
are happy?" is the Viennese motto; and 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



the general impression is that these peo- 1 
pie are as happy in their way as those in 
the higher grades of life. 

THE GEXTLEMEX OF VIENNA. 

The gentlemen among the wealthier 
class of Vienna are remarkably fine-look- 
ing, being generally tall, well formed, 
and graceful in their movements. They 
also dress with excellent taste and ele- 
gance, and are wholly different in ap- 
pearance from the American idea of Ger- 
man characteristics. Not one of your 
fair readers would be able to decide from 
their appearance whether they were Ger- 
mans or Boston Yankees, except that 
they have more ruddy complexions and 
are generally more robust in their physi- 
cal development than the latter. The offi- 
cers of the army, of whom there are thou- 
sands in Vienna, are seldom less than six 
feet in height, and are, as abody, the 
finest-formed men to be found in any part 
of the globe. They dress in tight-fitting 
uniforms, and, as we once before re- 
marked, move along the streets with the 
air of men who know themselves to l)e 
objects of admiration. At the Keidhof 
to-night about thirty of them were taking 
their supper, and every one of them 
would be classed in New York or Balti- 
more as a handsome man, of more than 
ordinary good physical development, fine 
form and feature, and all the. other requi- 
sites of perfect manhood. The men in the 
lower strata of life are, however, neither 
handsome, well formed, nor graceful in 
their motions. A considerable portion of 
them are, on the contrary, short and un- 
gainly in appearance, with the exception 
of those who come from Hungary, from 
which country come the brains, muscles, 
and sinews of Austria, as well as ^nost 
of the food consumed by the people of 
Vienna. 

Vienna, July 22, 1873. 

As we propose to take a final adieu of 
Vienna to-morrow, we have spent our last 
day at the Exposition, and ran rapidly 
through all the departments." In the vast 
machinery departments everything was in 
motion, and the throng of people among 
the revolving machinery was very great. 
This large attendance has given renewed 
hope that the last days of the Exposition 
will be more prosperous than its com- 
mencement. 

In taking our farewell of the Exposi- 
tion, we cannot but repeat that it is won- 
derful in its immensity and glorious in 
its varied attractions. It is too large for 
any one to see in a dozen visits, and we 



do not believe that one in a thousand of 
the visitors sees one-half that is on exhi- 
bition, whilst many get wearied and ex- 
hausted before they have entered one-half 
of the buildings. We have spent about 
twenty days in exploring its wonders, and 
we yesterday got into several buildings, 
by mere accident, that we had never be- 
fore entered. That there are still others 
that have escaped our vigilance, we have 
not the slightest doubt. 

THE AMERICAN DEPARTMENT. 

In the American machinei'y depart- 
ment there are one hundred and forty- 
nine depositors, some of them having sev- 
eral machines on deposit. In one of my 
recent letters I noticed the fact that nearly 
all the machinery in motion, and many of 
the agricultural implements, had upon 
them cards with the word " sold." I 
learn upon inquiry that not only have all 
these machines been suld, but that orders 
have been received for large numbers of 
duplicates, which have been sent home to 
be filled. In fact, there are no depositors 
here in better humor than those from 
America, and they find that they have 
dune a good stroke of business in coming 
to Vienna. 

We close our notice of the Exposition 
with the expression of the belief that, 
though it may prove a pecuniary failure 
to the government, its efiect upon Aus- 
trian agriculture and machinery will 
more than recompense for all the pecu- 
niary loss. It will tend to the develop- 
ment of the resources of the country, and 
to the promotion of all the great interests 
that go to making up a great nation. 
The agricultural implements on exhibitiun 
have been heard of, but never seen before, 
by Austrian and Hungarian farmers, 
and our plows will take the place of the 
primitive wooden instruments that are so 
extensively used. Mowers, drills, horse- 
rakes, and the thousands of articles in 
use in other countrie-; were wholly un- 
known in Austria; and it is curious to see 
the old farmers roving about in the exten- 
sive agricultural buildings among steam- 
plows and pieces of machinery as large 
as some of the houses in which they have 
been accustomed to live. 

THE EXPOSITION BVILDINGS. 

We have frequently alluded to the num- 
ber of buildings on the grounds, inde- 
pendent of the grand hall, the three art- 
galleries, and the machinery department. 
An official list just published shows the 
number of these outside buildings to be 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



one hundred and sixty-eight, and others 
are still building. The following struc- 
tures are very interesting : English work- 
men's dwellings, Hungarian peasant huts, 
Saxon huts, Gfuydalerhouse hut, Rouma- 
nian hut, cotter's cottage of Borkowsky, 
Alpine hut, Lapland hut, Hungarian 
shepherd's cottage, Alsatian farm-house, 
and Russian dwelling-house, — all of which 
had escaped our attention until our last 
visit. The palace of the Sultan of Turkey 
is now completed and finished, as well as 
the Persian villa. 

Most of these outside buildings are 
large, and very elegant in their structure. 
There is nothing on the grounds of the 
Exposition that has the appearance of 
being merely intended for temporary use. 
The Turkish palace is as large as the 
Peabody Institute, and has two tall tow- 
ers and two domes. The Persian villa is 
a gem of sparkling beauty, both inside 
and outside, and will be the reception- 
house of the Shah when he visits the Ex- 
position. 

FOREIGN AND HOME FOOD. 

We are living well in Vienna, notwith- 
standing the great luxuries of the season 
in America are almost unknown here. 
Good meat, well cooked, sweet and crisp 
bread, the best-made coffee in the world, 
sweet butter, and good beer, can alwa3's 
be had in Vienna. Of course, any one 
can live well upon these solids and sub- 
stantials, and to those who know no bet- 
ter they are the summing up of human 
happiness. That anything else should be 
wanting is regarded as ridiculous ; and 
when an American undertakes to describe 
the variety of human food that tempts 
the palate in his favored land, he is lis- 
tened to with a shrug of the shoulders, ex- 
pressive partly of doubt, and partly of 
disgust that any one should want to eat 
such things. The Viennese regard fruits 
as unhealthy, and most of them will never 
venture further than to eat a half-dozen 
cherries. There are peaches here, but 
they are very poor, and sold merely from 
the fruit-stands. There are also plenty 
of apricots, which no one seems to care 
about. Last evening, at the Reidhof, 
whilst the merits of the food of different 
countries were being discussed, and the 
several Americans present were describing 
a number of our special luxuries, a Cuban 
gentleman, who has been roaming over 
the world for the past eight years, and 
has resided much of his time in America, 
was appealed to, Avhen he delivered him- 
self in substance about as follows: "If 



you want good beef and mutton, with good 
ale, eo to London for them ; if you desire 
the best pastry and fancy dishes, go to 
Paris for them ; if you prefer tha substan- 
tials, well cooked and served, and the 
best-made coffee, and excellent beer, coma 
to Vienna for them ; but if you desire all 
these essentials to good living combined, 
together with soft crabs, oysters, terrapins, 
canvas-back ducks, and an endless supply 
of the most luscious fruit, you must go to 
America for them." There are several 
American Germans now here, among 
them Mr. Raster, editor of the Chicag-o 
Staais Zeitung, who are more enthusiastic 
on the subject of American living than the 
Americans are, declaring that the real 
enjoyment of life is unknown in Europe. 

" I KISS TOUR HAND." 

Kissing the hand is a national custom 
in Austria. A gentleman on meeting a 
lady with whom he is acquainted, es- 
pecially if she be young and handsome, 
kisses her hand. On parting from her he 
again kisses her hand. At the Reidhof 
last evening a young man Avho is paying 
his addresses to a young lady, on taking 
his seat at the supper-table around which 
the family were seated, kissed the mother's 
hand, and also the hand of his affianced. 
It is very common to see a gentleman kiss 
a lady's' hand on the street, on meeting or 
parting with her. If you give a beggar- 
woman in the street a few coppers, she 
either kisses your hand or says, " I kiss 
your hand." We have had our hand 
kissed twenty times since we have been 
in Austria, by chambermaids and beggars, 
and on one occasion by an old man. The 
words " kiss your hand" appear to be 
the *ame in German as in English, or at 
leasl sound the same. The gentlemen 
kiss the hands of married women as well 
as the single, and it is taken as an ordi- 
nary salutation and a token of respect. 
American ladies are startled Avhen they 
first experience the application of this 
custom, but soon. submit to it with a good 
grace. Children also, when presented 
to a stranger, take his hand and kiss it, 
showing that it is a custom to which they 
are educated from their cradles. 

BLONDES AND BRUNETTES. 

We ought to have stated in our last 
letter, in reference to the Austrian ladies, 
that there are very few blondes in this 
section of Germany. The ladies are 
mostly brunettes, with dark hair and eyes. 
There are, however, some blondes, with 
light complexions and blue eyes, and they 



78 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



are as much admired here as they are in 
America. They take much more care of 
their hair tlian the brunettes do, glorying 
in ringlets and curls, and dress it with 
great taste and skill. There are no arti- 
ficial blondes here, however, with dyed 
hair, that being a fashion which has not 
yet reached Austria. The German blondes 
all come from Northern Germany, and 
they are probably more numerous in Bal- 
timore than they are in Vienna. 

AUSTRIAN FUEL. 

Throughout Austi-ia, along all the lines 
of railway there are piled up large masses 
of a species of lignite, which is used as a 
substitute for coal in generating steam. 
It is in the form of flakes rather than 
of lumps, and is of a brownish black, re- 
sembling rotten or decayed wood more 
than it does coal. It is broken up into 
small pieces, and piled in baskets, from 
whence it is supplied to the tenders of 
passing locomotives. It emits a strong 
black smoke, but it does not annoy the 
passengers with dust or soot. Judging 
from the immense quantities to be seen, 
the supply must be as extensive as coal is 
with us, and it must be very easily mined. 
There is an abundant supply of wood, 
mostly pine, in Austria, her mountain 
regions being dense pine forests ; but this 
fuel is used even on the Crown-Prince 
Rudolph Road, which passes through 
pine forests and over mountains clad with 
heavy timber. The fuel used for domes- 
tic purposes in Vienna is wood and char- 
coal, and, as most of the people do their 
eating in the restaurants, there are many 
houses in Avhich a fire is never lighted for 
six or eight months of the year, except a 
spirit-lamp or a pan of charcoal. 

PESTH AND TRIESTE DOWN THE DANUBE. 

On the 2d of July we proceeded from 
Vienna to Pesth, taking one of the steam- 
ers on the Danube, a distance of nearly 
two hundred miles. Our letter describ- 
ing this interesting trip,.which was mailed 
at Pesth, the capital of Hungary, failed 
to come to hand, as well as a letter de- 
scriliing Pesth.. We find it impossible 
to supjily either at this late day. We 
found the Danube almost as interesting 
as the Rhine, though not so romantic. It 
passes through the rich agricultural re- 
gions of Hungary, and is a broad, rush- 
ing stream, our boat going down the 
current at the rate of almost twenty miles 
an hour. From Pesth we took the railroad 
to Trieste, a long and wearisome ride, 
■which is described in the following letters. 



Hotel de la Ville, 
Trieste, July 5, 1873. 

We spent the anniversary of American 
Independence in the very unpatriotic way 
of traveling some four hundred miles over 
the dominions of Francis Joseph, I]m- 
peror of Austria, and eating our meala 
as we could gather them on the roadside. 
We did not hear a cracker explode, nor 
smell gunpowder, until we reached Trieste 
at nine o'clock last evening, when the 
United States vessels in port were closing 
the observance of the day by the firing 
ofi" of rockets and the burning of Costar's 
signals in full view of the thousands of 
people assembled in front of the cafes and 
ice-cream saloons along the quay. It was 
a very pretty sight, and stirred within us 
those patriotic emotions which had lain 
dormant all day under clouds of railroad 
dust and the scorching rays of a semi- 
Italian sun. We gave three cheers in- 
ternally, and called for a lemonade. 

FROM PESTH TO TRIESTE. 

We left Pesth, the capital of Hungary, 
at nine o'clock in the evening, and at 
daylight this morning found ourselves in 
tlie midst of the garden spot of Europe, 
the great grain-growing region of Hun- 
gary, from which England draws her 
supplies during seasons of scarcity. The 
wheat stood very heavy in the fields, but 
it is said to be budly damaged by rust on 
account of the protracted season of rain, 
there having been until recently scarcely 
a clear day for the past two months. A 
great deal of Indian corn is also groM^n 
here, which looked promising, though it 
Avas not so far advanced as with us at 
this season of the year. The fields were 
well filled with women, either hoeing corn 
or reaping the rye-fields. There were 
some men, but the women predominated. 
Thence we pjassed through the regions 
known as Galicia, Styria, Croatia, the 
Tyrol, and Carniola, the land becoming 
tliinner and less productive as we ap- 
proached the Italian coast. For fully one 
hundred miles through Carniola the road 
wound its way through a region that was 
probably never inhabited before the road 
was constructed, as nearly all those now 
living there seem to be connected with 
the road. It is the military frontier of 
Austria, and we should regard it as dif- 
ficult for even a scouting-party intent 
on destroying the road to reach it either 
on foot or horseback. It reminded us of 
a legend applied to the dominion of one 
of the Northern princes. It is to the 
purport that the angels of the Lord, after 



A ME RICA N SPECTA CLES. 



79 



the world was made, had a large lot of 
loose stone left, which they hurriedly 
dropped, and thus his territory was 
formed. The whole face of the earth is 
nearly covered with loose stone of all 
shapes and sizes, with bushes and grass 
interspersed. The residents had contrived 
to clear small spots for the cultivation of 
their vegetable-gardens, but this seemed 
to be a herculean task, judging by the 
mountains of loose stone that were piled 
up around their claims, which ranged 
from a twenty-foot square lot to the 
fourth of an acre, according to the en- 
ergy of the explorer after mother earth. 
At one point it had been necessary, in 
this inhospitable country, to erect im- 
mense stone walls, twenty feet high, and 
a quarter of a mile long, to protect the 
trains from tornadoes, to which the district 
is frequently liable, from northeast winds. 
So great is their violence that loaded 
wagons have been overthrown ; and these 
stone walls are used as a sort of break- 
water, behind which the trains can run 
for protection if a storm should be immi- 
nent or prevailing. 

The only interesting points of the route 
were those through the Tyrol and Hun- 
gary. In Hungary the road ran along 
the shore of the Plattensee, which is 
fifty miles in length and abounds in fish. 
The great summer resorts of the nobility 
of Hungary are here, and resorts for ama- 
teur fishermen abound along its banks. 
After passing Pragerhof, the mineral 
baths for which this portion of the woi-ld 
is famous Avere frequently encountered as 
we sped on our journey. Whilst steam- 
ing along the banks of the river Laibach, 
in Tyrol, with an atmosphere in the cars 
ranging about ninety degrees, in the near 
distance could be seen the Julian and Car- 
nic Alps, with their snow-clad summits 
glittering in the sun. 

THE ADRIATIC SEA. 

About twenty miles before reaching 
Trieste the road breaks away from its 
mountainous and rugged tracks and 
boldly strikes on to the shore of the 
Adriatic, which presented quite a reviv- 
ing scene as the closing one of our long 
journey. The sun had just sunk below 
the horizon, and its lingering rays were 
reflected from the bosom of the deep-blue 
waters. In the distance could be seen the 
domes and spires of Venice, the Queen 
of the Adriatic, and at the head of the Bay 
the city of Trieste was soon spread out 
before us like a map. A few miles before 
we reached Trieste, Ave saw Punta Gri- 



gnano, a rocky prominence extending out 
into the sea, upon which stands the cha- 
teau of Miramar, the favorite residence of 
Maximilian and Carlotta before ambition 
lured them to seek the crown of Mexico. 
It is truly a magnificent structure, Ijeing 
built of white marble, and surrounded by 
a fine park and gardens, with the blue 
Adriatic spread out before it. It is a 
princely home, and will always have a 
mournful interest connected with it as 
the former residence of " poor Carlotta," 
whose sad fiite as a confirmed maniac has 
won for her the heartfelt sympathy of the 
whole world. It is open on Sundays and 
holidays for public enjoyment. In a few 
minutes after passing Miramar, we dashed 
into a tunnel, from which we emerged into 
the streets of Trieste. 

THE CITY OF TRIESTE. 

The city of Trieste is the only seaport 
of the Austrian dominions. It contains a 
population of about one hundred and 
twenty thousand, composed of all nation- 
alities, the Italians predominating, and it 
has all the characteristics of an Italian 
city. After reaching our hotel last even- 
ing we started out for a stroll through 
the city, and found the streets literally 
thronged with men, women, and children, 
whilst thousands were taking creams and 
refreshments in front of the large cafes on 
the Piazza Grande. The main streets are 
broad, and are paved with large oblong 
blocks of granite, kept very clean, and the 
promenaders filled up the whole street, 
walking indiscriminately everywhere. 
Turks and Greeks and Armenians min- 
gled with the Italians and Germans, 
whilst there were also abundance of Eng- 
lish and Amei-icans. The peasants of the 
surrounding districts, with their pic- 
turesque costumes, are Sclavonians, whilst 
the sailors and fishermen are principally 
Dalmatians and Istrians. There is on the 
streets of Trieste the greatest commingling 
of tongues that can be found anywhere in 
Europe except at Marseilles. Trieste 
holds the same commercial relation to 
South Germany that Hamburg and Bre- 
men do to North Germany. 

So strictly Italian are the habits of the 
people that it was very easy in the gas- 
light, as we strolled along the Corso, the 
principal street of Ti-ieste, and through 
the Piazza Grande and the Piazza della 
Borsa, to imagine ourselves in the city of 
Naples, or in the Piazza of St. Mark, in 
Venice. There was the same indiscrim- 
inate mingling of the sexes, the same free 
and easy manners, whilst loud conversa- 



80 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



tion and the humming of popular airs were 
to be heard in every direction. The 
streets of the old town, which are too 
narrow and steep for vehicles, were simi- 
larly crowded with the lower classes, and 
in some of them pandemonium seemed 
to be let loose. If any other evidence 
were required of Trieste being a genuine 
Italian city, it would be found in the fact 
that we have caught two black Italian 
fleas on our hand since commencing to 
write this letter, and that this morning 
we were aroused from our first morning 
nap at early dawn by the shrill scream of 
a native Italian donkey directly under 
our chamber window. 



HUNGARY. 



PESTH AND OFEN. 

Our sojourn in Pesth satisfied us that 
Baedeker has not done justice to this 
thriving capital of Hungary. We spent 
the day in walking through the city, or 
riding on its passenger railway cars, by 
which we accidentally struck upon many 
places of interest which arenotmentioned 
in this usually correct guide-book. One 
of these is a large and very fine park, 
called Yarosliget, which we found 
thronged with people, whilst the fashion 
of the city were driving around the main 
drives in tlieir fine equipages. Like all the 
public parks in Southern Germany, it is 
given up entirely to the enjoyment of the 
people, and numerous refreshment-gar- 
dens are to be found in all sections of the 
grounds, in and around which men, 
women, and children were listening to the 
strains of music, though not such as we 
have become accustomed to in Vienna. 
Hungarian music may be very good, but 
we do not think it would be much ad- 
mired far away from its native soil. Nor 
is there any but the briefest mention by 
Baedeker of Margaretta Island, which is 
one of the greatest attractions of this thriv- 
ing and enterprising commercial city of the 
Danube. 

THE CITY OF OFEN. 

The city of Ofen, or as it is more gen- 
erally called, Buda, Avhich is connected 
with Pesth by a magnificent suspension 
bridge, also abounds in interest. Ofen and 
Pesth are so closely connected as to seem 
but one city, the Danube merely dividing 
them. The royal palace, the base of 
which is at least three hundred feet above 
the roofs of the houses along the line of 



the river, presents from Pesth one of the 
most picturesque views imaginable, it 
being, with its gardens and out-buildings, 
fully one thousand yards in length. The 
rock upon which it stands rises almost 
perpendicularly, and the upper level can 
be reached hy cars drawn up an imdined 
railway l)y a stationary engine, similar 
to that at Pittsburg. In order to give 
expeditious access to that portion of the 
cify beyond this rock, a tunnel for car- 
riages, about a half-mile long, has been 
excavated through it, being a continuation 
of the bridge. This bridge, by the way, 
is not a wire suspension bridge, but is a 
succession of immense steel plates, with 
swinging bolts, hanging from towers one 
hundred and fifty feet high, like a wire 
bridge, but much stronger and more 
massive. It was built by an Englishman 
named Clark, and, being four hundred 
yards in length, is considered one of the 
finest specimens of bridge architecture in 
Europe. The bed of it is laid with the 
Nicholson pavement, and, although it is 
always thronged with carriages and pe- 
destrians, there is not felt the least vibra- 
tion. A second bridge, for passengers, 
and one for railroad purposes, are being 
constructed. On a still higher rock, to 
the left of the city, not less than six 
hundred feet above the water-level, is an 
immense fortress, 'with winding carriage- 
way, by which it is approached. The 
weather was too hot, and the rays of the 
sun were too powerful, for us to venture 
the ascent. 

Among other interesting matters in 
Ofen (Buda) are the remnants of Turkish 
ai'chitecture, this city having been in past 
ages, for one hundred and fifty years, in 
possession of the Turks. Like Pesth, it 
is also ambitious, and all the new build- 
ings in course of erection are of a very 
elegant and elaborate architecture. 

THE CITY OF PESTH. 

The city of Pesth is, however, the great 
attraction, and its commercial importance 
is evidenced by the number of steamers 
constantly arriving and departing, many 
of them carrying on trade with Constan- 
tinople and the various ports on the Adri- 
atic, the Mediterranean, and the Black 
Sea. Its domestic commerce is also im- 
mense, and the scene along the wharves 
would do credit to Baltimore, whilst the 
attractions of the city front have no 
superior in any of our commercial cities. 
It is earnestly contending with Vienna 
in its ornamentation, and a Ringstrasse 
running through the heart of the city 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



81 



and torminating at the Park is in course 
of constnietion. Central avenues are 
being laid out and trees planted, whilst 
the buildings going up along the line of 
this broad thoroughfare are equal to the 
tall and graceful structures of Vienna. 

The Gi-and Hotel of Pesth is also 
another evidence of the ambition of the 
people. It seems strange to find in this 
comparatively remote city the largest and 
most elegant hotel in Europe. It is more 
truly " grand'" than any other hotel we 
have entered bearing this high-sounding 
name, not even excepting its namesake of 
Paris. Both the exterior and interior are 
finished in the most elaborate style of 
art, and it is furnished with equal elegance 
and taste. Among its other peculiarities, 
it has in its upper story a handsome 
chapel for religious worship. There are 
also a Grand Assembly saloon, a large 
glass-covered and lighted court-yard, din- 
ing-saloon and cafes, and three hun- 
dred and two chambers, with over five 
hundred beds. For a good room with 
two beds, facing the Danube, we were 
charged but three florins per day, or 
one dollar and a half in our money, 
for two persons. This elegant building 
is, however, only one of an extended 
line along the greater portion of the 
river front, on a level with the grand 
promenade. 

There is also in Pesth a Zoological 
Garden, with a large collection of wild 
beasts ; and the same care is taken in 
everything to furnish amusements for the 
people. The large boats, crowded Avitl^ 
passengers to Margaretta Island and the 
bathing establishments in the upper part 
of Ofen, were arriving and departing 
during our sojourn at all hours of the 
day, and tug-boats towing lighters and 
barges laden with merchandise were 
9,lways puffing up the river against the 
heavy tide, many of them doubtless bound 
for Vienna. 

FOR VENICE. 

Desiring to spend Sunday in Venice, 
which is but six hours' run across the 
bay, we will go this Saturday evening 
and spend a few days with the Queen of 
the Adriatic, returning to Trieste on 
Tuesday. 

[The account of our trip to Venice, 
and a full description of this most inter- 
esting city, will be found in another por- 
tion of this volume.] 

Trieste (Austria), July 12, 187.3. 
We returned from our very pleasant 
and interesting trip to Venice yesterday 
6 



morning, having left that city on the 
steamer Milano at midnight, in the midst 
of an outpouring of rain which was pe- 
culiarly Italian. We, however, had a 
pleasant trip, the weather clearing shortly 
after we took our departure. There was 
an abundance of passengers, among whom 
were several Americans. They are on 
their way to Vienna, the length of their stay 
depending entirely on the question as to 
whether they can get accommodations at 
fair prices. They say they expect to be 
plucked everywhere whilst traveling, but 
they decidedly oljject to staying long where 
the people have hung out the sign of 
roguery so distinctly as they have in Vi- 
enna. However, prices are now much 
lower, but they are still fifty per cent, 
higher than anywhere else in Europe. 

The American flag greeted our vision 
this morning as we entered the harbor of 
Trieste, flying from the peak of the frigate 
Wabash, which was also flying the broad 
pennant of Admiral Case. She arrived 
during our absence at Venice. 

THE BLUE ADRIATIC. 

Trieste is situated at the head of the 
Adriatic, the harbor being formed by a 
sea-wall, or breakwater, which protects 
the shipping from the turbulence of the 
sea during storms. The scene from our 
hotel windows at sunset is very beautiful ; 
and of an evening, when the moon is 
casting its rays over the deep blue of this 
beautiful sea, a more picturesque view 
can scarcely be imagined. No matter 
how oppressive may be the rays of the 
sun during the day, the evenings are al- 
ways cool and pleasant, and yachts and 
boats are moving about on the water till 
a late hour. During the afternoon the 
fishing-boats can be seen coming in well 
laden with the products of thenet and 
the line, and steamers are always coming 
from or departing to the neighboring 
islands and towns on the coast. Next to 
Naples, the harbor of Trieste is the most 
beautiful in Europe. On a clear day the 
steeples of Polo can be seen in the dis- 
tance on the opposite coast. A fine turn- 
pike runs along the coast for many miles 
close to the seashore, and aff'ords a pleasant 
evening drive in summer. The steamer 
to Venice runs three times a week, making 
the passage across in six hours. 

THE GREEK CHURCH. 

There are a great number of Greeks 
in Trieste, some of whom retain their 
turbans and flowing robes, though most 
of them are in European attire, save the 



82 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



\ 



red skull-cap and black tassel. One of 
the most elet;;ant churches in the city is 
that of the Greek Catholics on the quay. 
We were allowed by a fee to the sexton 
to enter and examine it yesterday, and 
found its arrangements and ornamenta- 
tion of the altar quite different from those 
of the Roman Catholic churches. There 
are a number of very elegant scriptural 
paintings on its walls, and the silver 
figures of the apostles in bas-relief are 
not only fine specimens of art, but show 
that the congregation must be a very 
wealthy one. The whole interior of the 
church, , which is comparatively new, is 
magnificently painted, gilded, and deco- 
rated, and, though not excessively large, 
is sufficient to accommodate about eight 
hundred worshipers. 

PLENTY OF FRUIT. 

The city of Trieste is famous for its 
fruit, and a visit to the market yesterday 
morning was quite refreshing to an Amer- 
ican Avho is used to an abundance of this 
healthy summer sustenance. Apricots, 
peaches, plums, pears, and cherries were 
displayed in great profusion and at very 
moderate prices. There were also figs, 
larger than a peach, both ripe and lus- 
cious. The cherries are much larger than 
those in our colder climate, and are very 
fine" to the taste. The tour of Europe 
during summer subjects the American 
lover of fruit to great deprivation. Thei-e 
is but little fruit, and that of an inferior 
quality and of high pi'ice, in Central 
Europe, until the grape crop is gathered, 
with the exception of the apricot, which, 
from its insipid taste, soon wearies the 
appetite. For the sake of good fruit 
and plenty of it we are willing, for a few 
days at least, to stand the heat and tolerate 
the company of the fleas. 

TUE PEOPLE OF TRIESTE. 

The people of Trieste seem to live more 
at home than those of Vienna. There is 
scarcely a restaurant in the whole city 
where a good meal can be had. Indeed, 
they are so few that it is difficult to find 
any of them of any description. Beer- 
houses are also very scarce, and it is evi- 
dent that beer-drinking is not much in 
vogue. There is a good demand for 
coffee, lemonade, and ices, the saloons 
being very abundant, but there is little 
drinking done here, with the exception 
of wines. It seems that America is al- 
most the only country where intoxicat- 
ing liquors are drunk as a beverage, and 
where a large proportion of the people 



think it manly to make beasts of them- 
selves. There are some dirty shops where 
the lazzaroni oljtain an intoxicating bev- 
erage, somewhat resembling our Avhisky, 
but there is no place in Trieste where 
even a glass of brandy can be had, and 
of course there are no first-class drinking- 
saloons. If there was any demand for 
such drinks there would be plenty of 
them ; and, as there are none, it may be 
taken for granted there is no demand. 

THE CITY OF TRIESTE. 

The city of Trieste is peculiarly a com- 
mercial mart, and has but few attractions 
for the stranger. The wharves along the 
city front, for more than a mile, are 
lined with vessels stern foremost to ^he 
shore, over which they discharge and 
take on their cargoes. There are. so 
far as we have been able to discover, but 
few private residences in the city, all of 
the better class of citizens residing in 
beautiful villas high up on the mountain- 
side to the north of the city. Nearly all 
the houses seem to be devoted to some 
species of trade, except those occupied as 
hovels for the poorer classes, and as 
hotels, eating- and beer-houses. It seems 
strange at night where all the well- 
dressed people who throng the streets and 
the cafes come from, but they may be 
supposed to be, in a great measure, the 
wives and daughters of the shop-keepers, 
who reside over their respective places 
of business. 

A STROLL THROUGH THE CITY. 

We took an extended stroll after din- 
ner yesterday through all sections of the 
city, and find that, with the exception of 
the fine buildings and hotels fronting the 
bay, it has all the characteristics of an 
old Italian town. The Italian women 
from the country were moving off with 
their piles of baskets on the backs of 
their donkej^s, and hundreds of lazzaroni 
were lying about on the pavements, 
asleep. In the narrow streets, varying 
from eight to twelve feet in width, the 
women and children were sitting on the 
pavements, and sailors of all nations 
wandering about among them. On Via 
del Torrento, a broad thoroughfare, for 
several squares the street was lined with 
booths for the sale of old clothes, most of 
which appeared to be so old, dirty, and 
ragged as to be only fit for the paper- 
mill. Everybody appeared intent ujion 
selling something, including articles 
which in almost any other part of the 
world would be considered unsalable. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



83 



In the middle of Via del Torrento a large 
wooden shanty is erected, labeled Tea- 
tro, which must be a jolly place at night. 

In the lower section of the city, along 
the water-front, the buildings are very 
large and ornamental, and the theatre, 
which is also in this section, is a large 
and elegant structure, but is now closed 
for the season. In one or two of the ad- 
joining streets are some very fine stores 
and numerous coffee and ice-cream sa- 
loons, which at certain hours of the day 
are all well attended. The city puts its 
best foot foremost, and will not bear an 
inspection of its interior. 

During the middle of the day the heat 
is more intense than we have ever felt it. 
An hour's exposure in such heat as we 
had yesterday would be death to almost 
any one : even in crossing the street its 
effect was most oppressive. All out-of- 
door labor ceases during this heated term, 
and does not commence again until three 
o'clock. 

THE WOMEN OF TRIESTE. 

The ladies of Trieste are of all com- 
plexions and all nationalities, and speak 
so many different languages that it is dif- 
ficult to describe them. They dress well, 
and the better classes have all the grace 
of carriage which distinguishes the Ital- 
ian woman in all grades of life. Dark hair 
and dark eyes predominate, but the coun- 
tenance is sallow, and harsh rather than 
pleasing. Occasionally a German blonde 
is seen among them ; but, although this is 
an Austrian city, the language most spo- 
ken is Italian, and the number of Ger- 
mans is comparatively small. Among the 
lower classes there is but little female 
beauty to be seen. They appear to com- 
mence to age before they are out of their 
teens, and are sallow and sunken about 
the eyes, with but little vestige of the 
sprightliness of youth left. They live a 
terrible life of exposure, and toil for their 
living from the time that other children 
are but just commencing their education. 
Children of this class have no youth, and 
are early inured to all the sufferings and 
responsibilities of mature life in other 
countries. 

Hall, near Steyer, July 15, 1873. 
We arrived at Steyer on Saturday last, 
from Trieste, after a journey of precisely 
twenty-four hours, and soon reached this 
cool resting-place in the mountains. 
Steyer is about one hundred and twenty 
miles from Vienna, and about five hun- 
dred miles from Trieste, and is in the cen- 



tre of the iron region of Lower Austria. 
It has about fifteen thousand inhabitants, 
and, being situated at the confluence of 
the river Enns with the river Steyer, does 
a very extensive business in lumber, 
which is floated down the Enns from the 
pine-clad mountains through which it 
passes. But before taking a glance at 
Steyer we must give the reader some ac- 
count of our journey from Trieste, with 
the incidents and sights of travel. 

A RAILROAD EXPERIENCE. 

There are no sleeping-cars in Europe, 
and, as a general thing, those who travel 
at night must sit bolt upright, with 
merely a head-rest. We left Trieste at 
seven o'clock on Wednesday evening, 
having before ns a twenty-four hours' 
ride. Myself and companion were placed 
in a section with six other passengers, 
filling it up to its utmost capacity, some 
smoking pipes, and others cigarettes and 
cigars, but all puffing away to the fullest 
extent of their smoke-generating abilities. 
To make the matter worse, a heavy rain- 
storm was in progress, which compelled 
the closing of the windows, and we deter- 
mined to see if we could not do better at 
the first stopping-place. Here we inti- 
mated to the conductor that if he could 
give us a separate section to ourselves we 
would make it all right. In a few mo- 
ments he made a sign to us to come out, 
which we did with our valises, and, fol- 
lowing in his wake, we were soon ushered 
into a section which was entirely empty. 
Whether he had removed the passengers 
or had reserved an empty car for such an 
emergency, we were not informed, but 
upon our placing in his hands a couple of 
florins he smiled blandly, took out his 
key, and not only fastened, but, with 
a wink, locked both doors, as much as 
to say, "You are alone for the night." 
In a few minutes two other gentlemen, 
who had doubtless followed our example, 
were brought forward and locked in the 
other section, the bell was sounded, the 
conductor blew his little brass horn, the 
locomotive whistled, and we were off. 
Each having a long seat, extending all the 
way across the car, we stretched ourselves 
out, and were soon sleeping as soundly as 
if reposing in a Pullman Palace car. It 
will thus be seen that with a little man- 
agement sleeping-cars can be had on 
European railroads much cheaper than 
upon our roads at home. The conductor 
was as good as his word, and we were 
alone until after we changed conductors 
at Griitz at ten o'clock the next mornina;. 



84 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 

We passed through the rocky fields of 
Carniola during the night, which is a re- 
gion of country strongly resembling Cap- 
tain Jack's lava beds, especially if they 
should ever be plowed up. The whole 
country is a heap of loose stones, from 
the size of a piece of chalk to a grind- 
stone, from the interstices of which cedars 
and green bushes are sprouting up. At 
daylight we were approaching Gratz, 
in the heart of the rich agricultural re- 
gion of Styria, where everything was 
green, bright, and beautiful, and the farm- 
ers were busily at work harvesting their 
rye crops and making hay. We did not 
observe, nor have Ave anywhere in Aus- 
tria seen, a single agricultural implement 
of any kind except the plow and the hoe, 
nor have we seen any wheat that appears 
to have been planted with the drill. 
Crowds of women and girls were work- 
ing in the fields with the hoe, or reap- 
ing with the sickle. The proportion was 
about ten women to one man engaged in 
farm- work. 

There was, however, evidence of good 
husbandry everywhere. There being no 
fences, the division of land is marked by 
small square stones with the initials of 
the owner carved upon them. Small 
farms appeared to be the rule, as scarcely 
more than an acre of one species of grain 
could be seen in one plot. The mode of 
planting is generally in lands, — one of 
wheat, one of oats, another of potatoes, 
and another of corn, the latter planted so 
thick as to indicate that it was raised for 
fodder. 

But little ground is anywhere spared 
for clover or timothy, and in sowing it 
the greatest care is taken for its preserva- 
tion. Instead of i-aking it up in the 
field in cocks, as our farmers do, a num- 
ber of poles are stuck up in the field, 
having pegs interspersed so as to hold up 
the hay which is piled up around them. 
By this means it is kept almost entirely off 
the ground, and in case of rain is not 
damaged. This is a universal practice, 
and a larger class of poles are used for 
wheat and rye. Many of the poles are 
made of young cedar-trees, the limbs 
being cut ofi" so as to leave protrusions 
of five or six inches, which answer in- 
stead of pegs. The poles stand about 
eight feet out of the ground, and when 
clothed with the hay present a very 
strange aspect, being entirely concealed 
from view. The hay barely touches the 
ground, and there is no doubt that its 



sweetness is better preserved than by our 
process. They have but little ground 
to devote to this purpose, and they desire 
to make the most of the yield. 

The farm-houses are generally small, 
of but one story, but their surroundings 
bore evidence of cleanliness and thrift. 
Their little flower-gardens were in full 
bloom, and the whiteness of the walls of 
their dwellings indicated that the white- 
washing season arrived at least once a 
year. Ko cattle could be seen unless tied 
to a stake or in charge of boys. The 
farm-buildings were generally sufficiently 
large for small farms, but none so exten- 
sive as the barns in Lower Austria, M'here 
the farms are evidently very extensive. 

AUSTRIAN RAILROADS. 

The railroads of Austria are construct- 
ed and managed with a greater regard to 
safety than those of any other country on 
the Continent. Accidents are almost un- 
heard of, and next to impossible. They 
all have double tracks, and, although they 
mostly pass through very mountainous 
country, especial effort seems to have been 
made to give assurance to the mind of the 
passenger that, though he may be gliding 
along the edge of a precipice, he can ad- 
mire the scenery with no dread of acci- 
dent. A heavy stone wall, six feet thick, 
covers all embankments, whilst a similar 
impediment guards the track at all dan- 
gerous points. A telegraphic bell at the 
road-crossings announces an approaching 
train five minutes before it dashes along, 
and at every mile-stone on the road a 
guard in the livery of the company, with 
his rolled-upflag in hand, gives a military 
salute to the engineer as he passes, that 
lieing the assurance that all is right on his 
division of the road. All the stations on 
the road are neat and elegant structures, 
with fine floral displays, and everything 
clean and in order around them. A train 
arrives, the officer in attendance, with 
three strokes of the depot-bell, announces 
all ready to depart, the conductor sounds 
a half-note on the little brass horn sus- 
pended around his neck, the locomotive 
responds with a whistle, and we are off 
again. 

A WILD COUNTRY. 

The Austrian roads, though under no 
supervision of the government, being 
owned and run by companies, are all 
named after royal personages, as, for in- 
stance, the " Kaiser Franz Josef Bahn,"' 
the " Kaiserin Elisabeth Bahn," and the 
" Kronprinz Rudolph Bahn." Desiring 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



85 



to strike across the country from Brlick, 
so as to reach Steyer without going to 
Vienna, we took passage at that place on 
the Kronprinz Bahn, a new road, which 
has been many years in construction, 
passing through the Wienerwald Moun- 
tains, a portion of the Swabian Alps. 
The road follows a mountain torrent, the 
Ernsthal, and the scenery eclipses all that 
is to be seen on the Alleghany or even 
the Rocky Mountains. At times the pre- 
cipitous rocks towered over our heads to 
the height of five thousand feet, and again 
we were flying along with a precipice of 
many hundred feet under the car-window. 
We passed over innumerable viaducts, 
and through intermina1)le tunnels, hewn 
out of the solid rock, so solid and immov- 
able that arching would be altogether un- 
necessary. Many of the tallest mountains 
were clad with snow, whilst those of less 
altitude were covered with pines. For 
about a hundred miles there was presented 
a succession of surprises, which rendered 
the journey quite interesting. The coun- 
try through which the greater portion of 
this road passes is the great iron region 
of Austria. The great Erzberg mines are 
in this vicinity, which are worked by the 
government. The "ore mountain" is so 
productive that the ore is quarried in 
summer without the aid of mining opera- 
tions, whilst in winter the subterranean 
mode of operations is more convenient. 
The mines and furnaces, some of which 
have been in operation for a thousand 
years, employ about five thousand hands, 
and yield twenty thousand tons of iron 
annually. The river Ernsthal is a rush- 
ing torrent, somewhat resembling the 
Rhine at its mountain source, and the 
roar of its waters added to the picturesque 
aspect of the country through which we 
were passing. 

At seven o'clock in the evening, after pre- 
cisely twenty-four hours' run from Trieste, 
we landed at the l)risk little city of Steyer, 
the last fifty miles of the journey being 
through the beautiful valley of the river 
Enns ; our destination being the Springs 
of Hall, ten miles distant by carriage, 
which we reached at ten o'clock in the 
evening. Having had a few days' rest, 
we concluded to make an excursion to-day 
to Steyer, to view some of its attractions 
as enumerated by the faithful Baedeker. 

THE CITY OF STEYER. 

Steyer is a purely manufacturing town, 
iron being the basis of its wealth, and 
wood from the mountains a source of in- 
creasing importance. Here is the manu- 



factory of all the arms for the Austrian 
army, which is now being supplied with 
the famous needle-gun. We visited most 
of its establishments, clambered up to the 
eminence upon which stands the Castle 
of Steyer, and were assured by the custo- 
dian that Prince Lamberg, who makes 
his residence here, would be pleased to see 
us, but was not at home at present. He 
hoped we would call again ; but, as we 
came to see the castle, and not the prince, 
we left our cards, and expressed our re- 
grets that our stay would be so short that 
it would not be possible for us to avail 
ourselves of the pleasure of meeting his 
excellency. AVe also visited the old 
churches of the place, one of which was 
consecrated in 1443 and has some very 
fine old paintings. Indeed, we found but 
little in Steyer worthy of note in this 
correspondence, though we spent a very 
pleasant day in roaming through its 
ancient streets and viewing the rushing 
waters of the Steyer and the Enns as they 
come together and mingle and then move 
on to swell the waters of the Danube. 
The only thing we brought away from 
Steyer to remember it by is a pair of well- 
made calf-skin boots, for which we paid 
six florins, or precisely three American 
dollars. 



THE GERMAN WATERING-PLACES. 
Hall Springs, Austria, June 13, 1873. 

" WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?" 

We are now, as will be seen by the date 
of this letter, nearly two hundred miles 
northwest of Vienna, at one of the Ger- 
man springs, known by the simple name 
of "Hall," but famous for its curative 
properties for a variety of " the ills that 
flesh is heir to." The fact is that there are 
very few people who visit the springs of 
Germany unless they suS"er from disease 
of some kind, and they are consequently 
not places of fashionable resort, as with us 
in America. " What is the matter with 
you?" is the question asked of all new- 
comers 5 and most of them place them- 
selves in the hands of the doctor, who 
prescribes the number and temperature 
of the baths, and the amount of the water 
to be taken internally. The arrival of a 
party of Americans at a place like Hall is 
of course a novelty, and is regarded by the 
people as an indication that the fame of 
their little town up here in the mountains 
has spread across the Atlantic. Certain 



86 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



it is that we never heard of " Hall" before, 
or of the virtues of its waters, but are here 
to see life at a German Avatering-place, 
and to enjoy the company of some kind 
friends who are visitol's at the springs. 

HALL, AND HOW WE GOT THERE. 

We reached Hall at a very untimely 
hour, about two o'clock in the mornina;, 
tumbling into one of its hotels after a car- 
riage-drive of over two hours, preceded 
bv some five hours in the cars. Such 
a thing as the arrival of guests in the 
night was itself a novelty, and that they 
should be Americans was still more cu- 
rious. Sick people never travel at night, 
and everybody who comes to Hall is either 
sick or accompanying sick friends. Then 
Germans never do anything in a hurry, 
and to travel in a carriage at night to 
reach a summer resort would be consid- 
ered contrary to all precedent, a thing 
unheard of before in the quiet village of 
Hall, where everybody goes to bed early 
and is sound asleep before ten o'clock. 
We were acting contrary to all precedent, 
and by way of explanation to the worthy 
people of Hall, not one of whom it is 
probable ever heard of the English lan- 
guage, and who are not likely soon to aid 
in verifying the prediction of President 
Grant, we will detail how it all happened, 
as well as some of the mishaps which ren- 
dered it necessary for us to come post- 
haste, in the small hours of the night, to 
this retired and retiring village. 

A CHAPTER OF MISHAPS. 

Before proceeding further, let me advise 
all your readers whose education has been 
so far neglected as not to have acquired a 
knowledge of the German tongue, never to 
enter the dominions of the Emperor of 
Austria unless they have some one to take 
charge of them who is thus qualified. We 
have never spent a month in Europe so 
pleasantly as the past month in Austria, 
l3ut have been in charge of good friends, 
who not only understand the language, but 
understand the people and all their peculi- 
arities. To make a long story short, it 
may as well be acknowledged that, as 
on a memorable occasion in the wilds of 
San Domingo, we got lost, and were in 
pursuit of our friends, being both anxious 
to rejoin them, and to relieveltheir minds 
as early as practicable of the uneasiness 
which we knew they felt on our account. 

HOW IT ALL HAPPENED. 

On Wednesday morning we settled our 
bill at the Hotel Austria in Vienna, and 



requested our baggage to be sent to the 
railroad depot, stating that our desti- 
nation was Steyer. We had previously 
made arrangements to join our friends at 
the depot and travel with them to this sum- 
mer resort. The hotel ofiicial procured 
us carriages and dispatched our baggage, 
and at the appointed time we were at the 
depot, and, not finding our friends, soon be- 
came convinced that the stupid porter had 
sent us to the wrong depot, to the Ostbahn 
instead of the Westbahn, the depots being 
about five miles apart. Here we were 
with a pile of trunks, two ladies, and all 
their satchels, shawls, baskets, etc., and 
a half-dozen porters and depot bummers, 
each seizing hold of a trunk or a basket, 
and all talking to us at once in an un- 
known tongue, desiring, we suppose, to 
know where we were going, not one word 
of which was understandable. None of 
them had apparently ever heard of the 
English language before, and French was 
as much Greek to them as their German 
was to us. If we had been at the right 
depot we could have dispatched our busi- 
ness easily enough ; but it was impossible 
to explain to them that we did not want 
to go anywhere, — in fact, that we were 
lost innocents, and perplexed as to what 
we should do and where we should go. 
After aljout an hour of vexation we dis- 
covered an ofiicial who actually under- 
stood English, and to him Ave explained 
our difficulty and the stupid blunder of 
the hotel porter. It was eleven o'clock — 
and our train started at nine — when we 
succeeded, after much tribulation, in get- 
ting ourselves and baggage transferred to 
tiie Westbaiinhof, and there we learned 
that another train would start for Steyer 
at half-past four o'clock in the afternoon. 
It being impossIl)le for us to communicate 
with our friends by telegraph, or for them 
to communicate with us, until after their 
arrival at their destination, we determined 
to start oft' as rapidly as possible in pur- 
suit ; and it was thus that we broke in 
upon the quiet village of Hall in the small 
hours of the night, and brought joy to 
the hearts of our friends by arousing them 
at early dawn with the information of our 
safe arrival. Their dispatches had not 
reached us, and we had a jolly time over 
the incidents of our mishap. We had 
reached Steyer about ten o'clock at night, 
and, after an hour's renewal of our lin- 
guistic difficulties with railroad-officials 
and carriage-drivers, started, with our- 
selves in one carriage and our baggage 
in another, for a two hours' night drive 
into an unknown region, ovei hills and 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



87 



plains, through villages, but along a 
smooth road, and with rapidly-traveling 
horses. The distance, about ten miles, 
was accomplished in two hours, and at 
one o'clock the clanging bell of the Hotel 
Karl sumnioned master and mistress and 
several half-dressed servants to receive us 
and care for our baggage. After a refresh- 
ing sleep we joined our friends in the 
morning at the Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth, 
and determined never again during our 
sojourn in Austria to trust ourselves out 
of leading-strings. The English language 
we found to be just about as useful to the 
traveler in Austria as Greek would be 
among the Choctaws. 

ADVICE TO TRAVELERS. 

When any one speaks to you, especially 
in or about a German hotel, and you do 
not wish to show your ignorance, it is 
safe to pull out your wallet and hand 
your questioner a piece of money. The 
answer will seldom fail to be the right 
one. 

If you know the legal charge for any- 
thing, hand the precise amount and walk 
quietly away. It is very convenient on 
such occasions not to understand the 
language, and to be uncertain whether 
it is blessings or curses that are being- 
showered upon you. 

If you happen to be sent to the wrong 
depot, keep your pocket-book closed, as 
no one will do anything for you or with 
your baggage or your bundles without 
being paid for it, and consequently they 
will not be sent off in the wrong direction. 

If you want to purchase anything, 
never get any one about a hotel to show 
you the way to a store. The riile is for 
the storekeeper to pay all such persons a 
heavy commission on the amount of sales. 
Of course the purchaser has the commis- 
sion added to the price of the goods he 
buys. 

If you want to go to the opera or a thea- 
tre, always employ some one about the 
hotel to get tickets for you. It is impos- 
sible to get them without paying a heavy 
price to the speculators, and by yielding 
gracefully there will be a saving of both 
time and patience, and no loss of money. 

Never enter a bank, a store, or a place 
of business, in Austria, without taking 
off your hat and bowing to the proprie- 
tors. Never leave any such establishment 
without making your obeisance to all 
present. A neglect of these observances 
is considered downright rudeness, and on 
a second visit you will be treated coolly, 
even by a shopkeeper. 



When you are dealing with any one 
who has anything to do with horses, be 
on your guard for deception and jilunder. 
Our horse gentry are so proverbial for 
their honesty, probity, and fair dealing, : 
and so seldom take advantage of any one, 
that this distinguishing trait of the Vienna 
horse-dealers will be the more remarkable. 

THE ATTRACTIONS OF VIENNA. 

We have left the city of Vienna, which, 
with all its faults, is one which few who 
have enjoyed its gay and merry life for 
any length of time are anxious to leave. 
The young students, who spend a year or 
more here to finish their medical educa- 
tion, carry with them a bright memory 
of the happy season of enjoyment, and 
long for a renewal of their visit. The 
free and easy life that is led by those 
who mingle with the people is a glorious 
relief from the monotony of social exist- 
ence in hotels, which many strangers 
who visit Vienna fail to enjoy. The last 
evening of our sojourn will dwell long in 
our memory, and may induce us to pay 
Vienna another visit before our return to 
America. There were nine in our party 
who sat down to supper in a " restaura- 
tion" with fully one thousand Viennese 
ladies and gentlemen, all enjoying them- 
selves in groups around the two hundred 
tables, as few could do even in the bright- 
est home-circle. Everything that could 
be called for by the most fastidious appe- 
tite was served up in excellent style, and 
the clatter of a thousand tongues in so- 
cial converse, with the moving panorama 
around us, added to the pleasure>of the 
occasion. Most of the people, in fiimily 
or friendly parties, thus spend the even- 
ing, nothing stronger than beer being 
partaken of, and continue at the tables 
talking and smoking up to a quarter of 
ten o'clock, when they all disperse to 
their homes. Drunkenness or excessive 
drinking of beer is almost unknown, the 
latter being a beverage that is used by the 
mass of the people as we use coffee and 
tea, and having very little more exhila- 
rating effect when taken in moderation. 
Among this mass of people scarcely a 
loud word could be heard, and thus it is 
everywhere among the thousands of 
cafes and " restaurations" that are to be 
found on every street throughout this 
immense city. Whisky, brandy, or any 
strong drink, is used only for medicinal 
purposes, except by the hack- and carriage- 
drivers, who are nearly all bloated drunk- 
ards, and care no more for beer than the 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



more respectable portion of the Viennese 
do for water. 

One of our party, on this memorable 
evening, called for a goblet of milk, which 
is regarded as among the unhealthy 
fluids. Its passage through the hall in 
the hands of the waiter excited general 
remark, and a Gei-man friend from the 
interior, Avho was supping with us, ex- 
pressed his surprise that any one should 
drink milk, as well as that it could be 
had on call at an eating-saloon. It is 
rated, like water, as unhealthy, and 
probably with about as much cause. 

SOMETHING ABOUT HALL. 

Hall is regarded as the most costly 
summer resort in Germany, except Baden- 
Baden, and consequently very few come 
here, unless ordered to bathe in and drink 
its waters by their physicians, and we 
learn that the whole number of visitors 
last year did not exceed two thousand 
eight hundred. For two of the best rooms 
in the best hotel, with three beds, Ave 
pay four florins, or about two dollars, per 
day. AVe take our meals in the restau- 
rant attached to the hotel, at a cost of 
less than nine florins per day, or four and 
a half dollars, making the entire expense 
about six dollars and a half per day for 
three persons, or two dollars and sixteen 
cents each. Our rooms are far better 
than the best of those at Cape INIay, are 
on the first floor, and we call for what- 
ever we desire at the table, all of which 
is well cooked and {palatable. Still, 
these Springs are regarded as very ex- 
pensive. 

ATTRACTIONS OF HALL. 

There are five hotels in Hall, all of 
them rather small in American estima- 
> tion, but every house in the village 
has furnished rooms to let, and there 
are several furnished cottages in the 
vicinity for rent to families. The iodine 
water, it being more strongly impreg- 
nated than any similar water in the world, 
is pumped from a well by water-power, 
and forced to the tanks that supply the 
bath-house, which is an immense build- 
ing with two wings, and is now being 
enlarged. On each side of the long halls 
are rows of bath-rooms, some of them 
fitted up very elegantly, with marble 
tubs, and all supplied with hot and cold 
water, the attendants arranging the tem- 
perature according to the written order 
of the physician, as well as the time which 
is to be spent in the bath. In other 
rooms there are wooden bath-tubs, like 



everything else in Europe, first and 
second class, and first and .second prices. 
The marble-tubbed rooms cost seventy- 
five cents per bath, and the wooden-tubbed 
thirty-five cents. In the second story of 
the bath-house there are a reading-room, 
acofiee-room, and a ball-room. In the ro- 
tunda the drinkers of the water assemble 
at seven o'clock in the morning and take 
their draughts from a fountain, and walk 
around the beautifully-arranged grounds 
between the glasses, whilst a fine brass 
band discourses mostexcellent music from 
a canopied music-stand in the midst of 
the lawn. It would be difficult to find 
a more beautiful and attractive spot than 
the Park, with its finely arranged gravel- 
walks, extending through the shaded 
groves for a mile or more to the west of 
the building. There is also a cold-water 
douche- l)ath, in a thickly shaded vale, 
which is for gentlemen at certain hours 
of the day, and for ladies at specified 
hours. It has all the attractions for a 
popular resort, and will probably Ijecome 
fashionable when the railroad reaches it, 
which is expected very shortly, in antici- 
pation of which arrangements are mak- 
ing for new and larger hotels by the 
company which owns and manages the 
place. They will then, it is presumed, 
abandon the plan now adopted of putting 
everybody who arrives here on the sick- 
list, and taxing him, if he remains more 
than five da^-s, for the use of the water, 
whether it is drunk or not, and for the 
privilege of strolling occasionally through 
the promenades which they have pre- 
pared for visitors. 

FESTIVAL OF " CORPUS CHRISTI." 

When we entered Hall on Wednes- 
day night, we could see by the bright 
moonlight that all the houses were fes- 
tooned with evergreens and hung with 
wreaths of flowers, whilst in the centre 
of the town a floral arch was erected 
across the broad thoroughfare, under 
which we were probaljly the first to pass. 
We observed that numerous shrines wei'e 
illuminated as we drove along the ro.ad 
from Steyer, and that pictures of the 
Virgin and Child were displayed in some 
of the windows, with candles burning be- 
fore them, although, it being past mid- 
night, the people were evidently all sound 
asleep. Knowing that we were in a 
country intensely Roman Catholic, we 
supposed that they indicated some Church 
festival that had passed, but were not well 
enough posted to know that these were 
all preparations for the festival of Corpus 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



89 



Christi, which was observed as a general 
holiday throughout Austria on the day of 
our arrival. 

At early dawn we were aroused by the 
sharp rattling of a drum under our win- 
dow, which passed through the town, 
being intended to arouse the people for 
the early morning services. Soon after, 
a company of volunteer militia, finely 
uniformed, with a full band, marched 
past to the church in close proximity to 
our hotel, to which the people were all 
moving, with numbers of children dressed 
in white and wearing on their heads 
wreaths of flowers. At about eight 
o'clock, as soon as the services were over, 
the military, the firemen, children and 
nuns, and the clergymen in their vest- 
ments, a scarlet canopy being carried over 
the head of the officiating priest, moved 
in procession, followed by the whole pop- 
ulation, the men and women marching 
in separate bodies. They passed through 
all parts of the town, the streets on the 
whole line of the procession being thickly 
sti'ewn with fresh-mown hay. Along 
the fronts of all the houses, limbs of trees 
were stuck in the ground, and an altar 
under a canopy of evergreens was erected 
in close proximity to the floral arch. On 
the return of the procession, the clergy- 
men stopped at this altar, and the people 
knelt whilst mass was said, a choir of 
singers being present, who took part in 
the ceremonies. Immediately at the con- 
clusion of the services, the crowd scram- 
bled to get possession of pieces of the 
evergreens that formed the canopy under 
which the altar was erected. Several 
volleys of musketry were fired by the 
soldiers, and the assemblage dispersed. 
During the march, the throng of men 
and women following the procession were 
chanting prayers in a loud voice. 

THE AUSTRIAN WOMEN. 

The ceremonies being over, the balance 
of the day was spent in merry-making, 
the farmers and their wives and daugh- 
ters from the country for many miles 
around having come to town to spend the 
day. During the afternoon the streets 
were literally massed with people, the 
women being all dressed very nearly 
alike. They had their heads tied up in 
heavy black silk scarfs or handkerchiefs, 
the two stiff ends floating like black 
wings behind them. The hair was en- 
tirely concealed, and the only ornaments 
worn were heavy gold ear-rings and 
breastpins. They all wore either black 
silk, satin, or velvet coats, some of which 



were either braided or trimmed with lace. 
This is the national costume, and it is 
strictly adhered to throughout this sec- 
tion of Austria. It seemed singular to see 
youthful and handsome faces peering out 
from this gloomy head-gear, and bright 
laughing eyes sparkling between the sol- 
emn black wings. The young men ■were 
all dressed like their fathers, black velvet 
vests with silver buttons being a distin- 
guishing feature of their costume. This 
annual gathering in the streets of Ilall 
on the festival of Corpus Christi is one 
upon which fathers and mothers arrange 
for the marriage of their sons and 
daughters, and there is a great deal of 
match-making perfected under the groves 
lining the main streets of the town. 
There was no evidence of poverty among 
them, all seeming to be well-conditioned 
people. It is also an occasion for the sale 
and exchange of horses, the purchase of 
lands, etc., as well as for friemlly inter- 
course. In number the women largely 
exceeded the men, and they seemed to be 
the ruling power in whatever business 
transactions were in progress. They 
were all stoat and strong in appear- 
ance, looking, indeed, as if they had more 
muscle and strength than the men, and 
were generally more energetic in their 
appearance and manner than the sterner 
sex. Their quilted skirts were largely dis- 
tended by immense hoops, and some of 
the younger ones allowed a glimpse of 
the color and texture of their hair by 
a rippling wave on their foreheads peep- 
ing from under the solemn black scarf 
that bound their heads, whilst others 
showed the edge of a white collar and 
light-colored scarf between their chins 
and the closely-buttoned coats. It Avas 
evident that vanity is commencing to 
make inroads on the solemn and funeral 
garb that has come down to them from 
their mothers and grandmothers. There 
could not have been less than two thou- 
sand of these highly respectable and sub- 
stantial-looking females, assembled as if 
in mass-meeting under the linden-trees 
that form a grove near the centre of the 
town. Not a loud voice could be heard, 
and, with the exception of some of the 
younger lasses chatting with their beaux, 
the countenances of all seemed as solemn 
and serious as the outer garb. 

STRONG-MINDED WOMEN. 

The women of Austria, in the agricul- 
tural regions, are, like those of Switzer- 
land, the master-minds of the family. 
They are strong-handed and strong- 



90 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



minded, and can take care of themselves, 
and of their husbands also when necessary. 
They are evidently the " lords of crea- 
tion" outside of the cities, and need no 
one to take care of them. There is no 
labor too hard for them to undertake and 
perform a full day's work at. Whilst I 
write, my eye is upon twenty or more 
of them engaf^ed in the construction of 
the new Trinkhalls in the rear of the hotel. 
The Avhole business of mixing and pre- 
paring the mortar is in the hands of stal- 
wart women ; the carrying of brick and 
mortar up the ladders, in tubs balanced 
on their heads, is being gracefully, and 
with apparent ease, performed by bright- 
eyed lassies and their more grave-looking 
mothers. They work as if they were 
used to it and liked their vocation, and 
would scorn to be pitied by what we call 
the sterner sex. For all that we know, 
they may be the wives and daughters of 
the dozen or more automatical-looking 
men on the scaffolds who are slowly laying 
the brick and spreading the mortar which 
are brought to them on the top of the 
blonde locks or auburn curls of the " gen- 
tler" sex. That these Avomen should be 
allowed to vote, and will have the fran- 
chise whenever it is given to their hus- 
bands, there is no manner of doubt, and 
they Avill then virtually have two votes, 
as no husband in the rural districts of 
Austria or Switzerland would dare to 
vote against the sentiments of his wife. 

In the cities of Austria, such as Vienna, 
the woman, and especially the wife, is the 
abject slave of the man. The wife works 
and toils, and carries on her shoulders all 
the burdens of the household, whilst the 
husband spends his leisure hours jovially 
in the restaurants and cafes. Husbands 
are scarce in Vienna, and the poor woman 
who can claim alegal father for her chil- 
dren thinks she has reached the summit of 
earthly happiness and is blessed beyond 
her deserts, let the man to whom she is 
bound be ever so brutal or worthless. 

Hall, Austria, June 16, 1873. 

SUNSHINE. 

One day of warm sunshine and bright 
weather has ena])led us to come to the con- 
clusion that the Springs of Hall are located 
in the midst ofthemostcharming mountain 
scenery, and that its natural advantages 
have been availed of to the greatest possible 
extent to add to its rural beauty. To the 
south, the lofty mountains of the Tyrol, 
Avith their peaks clad in perpetual snow, 
are distinctly visible, although fifty miles 



distant, Avhilst range after range of lesser 
mountains intervene, bright Avith forest 
foliage. It is the close proximity of these 
mountains that keeps the climate of Hall 
always cool during the summer months, 
and makes a blanket comfortaljle for cov- 
ering at night, and a shaAvl or overcoat in 
the evening a necessity even in the month 
of August. 

THE WATER CURE. 

The iodine springs of Hall are famous 
throughout Germany, and even in Russia 
and France, for cleansing the blood from 
all impurities. Some bnth drink and bathe 
in it, whilst others bathe in it but drink 
the waters of other springs, which are to 
be had here in great purity and variety. 
Must of those who come here do so under 
orders from their physicians, and are pro- 
vided with written instructions as to the 
quantity of water to be drunk, the time 
of drinking it, and the temperature, time, 
and duration of the bath. There seems to 
be a systematic course of treatment as to 
mineral spring Avaters in Germany, some 
having instructions to remain at Hall for 
a certain time and then proceed to some 
other spring to follow up a similar course 
with a different character of water. Thus 
one water is used to prepare the system 
for the action of another, just as a physi- 
cian Avill frequently use different kinds of 
medicines. 

HALL AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 

The village of Hall and its surround- 
ings contain a population of about tAvo 
thousand five hundred, most of them be- 
ing engaged in the keeping of stores and 
lodgings, and in providing the other usual 
necessities of a summer resort. During 
nine months of the yearthey are preparing 
for their summer harvest ; and the latter 
three of these nine seem to have been 
spent in painting and Avhitewashing and 
otherAvise rendering their habitations 
bright and cheerful. The village consists 
principally of one main street, about a 
half-mile in length, upon Avhich are located 
all the hotels, the city hall, and the finest 
of the houses in Avhich furnished lodgings 
ai"e proA'ided for the summer season. The 
main street is about tAvo hundred feet 
Avide, having three rows of broad-leaved 
horse-chestnut trees doAvn the centre, 
under the shade of which there are 
multitudes of seats, and about the 
centre of the village a music-stand is 
erected, on which every morning, from 
eleven to half-past tAvelve o'clock, an ex- 
cellent band of string and Avind instru- 
ments, numbering about tAventy per- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



91 



formers, discourses most admirable music. 
This is located directly iu front of our 
hotel, and whilst we are writing the band 
is performing the overture to Der Frei- 
sch'dtz. This band also performs in the 
promenade at seven o'clock in the morn- 
ing, and from six to eight o'clock in the 
evening. There are also on the main thor- 
oughfare three handsome fountains. The 
shady groves around the village are laid 
out as promenades in every direction, 
and there are other villages scattered 
around, within twenty minutes' walk, to 
which fine gravel-paths lead, where re- 
freshments, fresh milk, cream, honey, and 
fruit can be had in abundance. 

THE GAME TRUMBULO. 

In the rear of our hotel there is a small 
shady grove, which in clear weather is 
used as a place for serving up meals to 
the guests of the hotel, no one in this 
country eating or drinking in-doors when 
the weather permits doing it in so pleas- 
ant a retreat as this. Here, also, in 
the afternoons, a variety of amusements 
are gotten up for the enjoyment of the 
guests. On Sunday and Thursday after- 
noons, after dinner, the game of Trumbulo 
is played here, better known as the game 
of '' Lotto." The tickets are sold at about 
ten cents each in our money, and the bag 
containing the numbers is carried around 
so that tli-e ladies may draw them. The 
record of the numbers drawn is kept on 
a large movable blackboard, and some 
two hours of amusement is afforded. 
There are fifteen prizes, in three different 
grades, consisting of a variety of fancy 
articles, ladies' fans, etc., all of which are 
displayed upon a table. It is a game of 
chance, costing but little and afibrding a 
fund of amusement. The numbers are 
called out successively in German, French, 
and Hungarian. 

" THE GERMAN" BY GERMANS. 

There was quite a fine hop on Saturday 
eveaingin the saloon over the bathing-hall, 
which was attended by nearly all the visit- 
ors here, consisting mainly of Germans, 
with some Russians, Hungarians, and 
French, and our party of six Americans. 
The reading and coffee-rooms were also 
filled by those who did not take part in the 
dance, showing a larger number of guests 
than Ave had supposed to be here. The 
German was danced as only Germans can 
dance it, and is much more intricate and 
tortuous than is attempted on our side of 
the Atlantic. The ladies and gentlemen 
who took part in it, to the number of 



nearly one hundred, seemed at times to 
be wound up into an inextricable knot, 
but all unraveled in the most easy and 
graceful manner. The American ladies 
who participated in the dance returned to 
their seats almost exhausted by the intri- 
cate and rapid lesson which they had 
taken in the "poetry of motion." The 
etiquette of the ball-room at the German 
springs is somewhat peculiar. A gentle- 
man does not wait for an introduction to 
ask a lady to dance with him, but merely 
steps up and asks the pleasure of her 
hand. He is forbidden by etiquette to 
enter into any conversation with the lady 
whilst dancing, unless she invites it. At 
the conclusion of the dance he conducts 
her to a seat, politely bows, and leaves 
her. Acquaintances thus made end with 
the ball, unless invited and encouraged 
by the lady. Thus much of the difficulty 
in making up cotillions and quadrilles 
and furnishing partners is avoided. 

SUNDAY AT HALL. 

The only difference between Sunday 
and other days at this summer resort is, 
that from six to eight o'clock in the morn- 
ing the residents are out in their best 
Sunday attire, going to or coming from 
church, and a good many people from 
the country around, having come to the 
village church, spend the rest of the 
day viewing the visitors in their prom- 
enades, among whom there are a prince, 
several young barons, and two counts and 
countesses. The sight of one of these 
has charms unspeakable to the simple 
peasant. The women have their heads all 
decked out in their sombre black hand- 
kerchiefs, with the ends flying, completely 
hiding their hair, and ail but the lower 
tips of their ears, from which most of them 
have quite handsome ear-rings pendent. 
This has been for centuries the univer- 
sal head-dress among these people, with 
whom the bonnet, in all its varied shapes, 
has never been known. They all wear 
immense hoops, widely distending their 
skirts, which was also the fashion here 
ages before the Empress Eugenie adopted 
them for the sisterhood of all creation. 
They have evidently no idea of discarding 
them, now that they have disappeared 
from the skirts of the fashionable guests 
at the hotels, and waddle about with them 
with the air of peacocks. With such im- 
mense busts as the peasant ladies have, 
the hoops seem a very suitable appendage 
for the continuation of the figure. The 
short dresses and distending hoops tend 
to the display of substantial continuations 



92 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and ankles that are more stout than grace- 
ful and more useful than ornamental. 
The more youthful of them all have rosy- 
cheeks, and are pictures of comfort and 
good health. 

The orchestral band performed as usual 
on Sunday at noon, in the centre of the 
village, and both morning and evening on 
the promenade. At five in the afternoon 
the game of Trumbulo was played in 
the grove, at which there were about two 
hundred ticket-holders, and the prizes 
were contended for and distributed. The 
stores were all open, but the working- 
people generally suspended labor, and 
were strolling about and gazing at the 
fashionably-attired strangers, who, as 
usual at the summer resorts at home, 
were promenading in the finest dresses 
their trunks could furnish. The o])ser- 
vance of Sunday ends always in most 
European countries with the close of the 
morning services, and the rest of the 
day is devoted to all manner of innocent 
recreation. There is, however, the most 
perfect order and quiet, and no excesses 
of any kind are indulged in, social con- 
verse being the main feature of the Sab- 
bath recreation of the Germans. Their 
fondness for out-door life, which they con- 
sider eminently conducive to health, at- 
tracts them to every shady retreat where 
refreshments can be had, and thus the 
Sunday is spent. One of the never- failing 
injunctions of the German physicians to 
their patients here is, " Never eat in-doors 
when the weather will permit the taking 
of your meals in the open air." 

THE VISITORS. 

The visitors now here exceed three hun- 
dred, a goodly number of whom are Hun- 
garians, Bavarians, Tyrolese, Russians, 
and French. There are many who are 
lame, others with diseases of the throat 
or swellings of the glands, and not a few 
who are drawn about in chairs on M-heels. 
The larger portion, however, exhibit no 
outward evidence of ill-health ; but there 
are few who do not take the Ijaths or drink 
the waters. All are supposed to be here 
for special ailments, and all who remain 
longer than five days are taxed for their 
share of the water-expenses, which are 
collected by the village authorities. The 
continuous cold Aveather has caused the 
number of visitors thus far to be unusu- 
ally small, but to-day has been warm and 
pleasant, and we are ex]iecting a rapid 
increase. The money panic at Vienna, 
whence most of the guests usually come, 
has also had its effect in rendering the 



season thus far very unprofitable to the 
hotel-keepers. 

THE PROMENADE. 

The scene on the promenade in front 
of the bathing-house last evening whilst 
the band was performing was very inter- 
esting. All the visitors were here assem- 
bled, either strolling thi-ough the avenues 
or sitting around at the tables sipping 
their cofl'ee, whilst the country-lolks were 
gathered at the outskirts, viewing the 
scene. All nations were here represented, 
and the variety of tongues, and the varied 
toilets of the ladies, added to the novelty 
of the scene. It was probably the hist 
time when America had been so strongly 
represented, we at present numbering 
eight, having two new recruits in the 
persons of Mr. and Mrs. Kahler, from 
San Francisco. As we moved around on 
the promenade, it was evident that we 
excited something of a sensation, and we 
were consequently all on our good be- 
havior, feeling that we had the national 
reputation to sustain. The country-people 
especially seemed to be greatly interested 
in us, as coming from a part of the world 
where so many of their friends and coun- 
trymen have settled, and to which many 
of them are contemplating an early emi- 
gration. 

THE AUSTRIAN-GERMAN. 

Among our guests are quite a number 
of the business-men of Vienna. The 
Austrian-German, as developed in Vi- 
enna, is as essentially different in his 
habits of life from the Prussian-German 
as the French are from the English. It 
is from Northern Germany that most of 
the emigrants to the United States come, 
and with the economical and thrifty habits 
of these we are all familiar. They, as we 
know, are industrious, prudent, economi- 
cal, and careful of their earnings, and are 
not given to speculation or the running 
of dangerous risks. The Viennese Aus- 
trian, on the contrary, thinks only of 
" the day, and takes no heed for the 
morrow." Life to him is a game of 
chance, and he takes the prizes or the 
blanks as a part of the lottery. He 
works and schemes and speculates with 
all the energy of a Wall-Street broker, 
and spends his gains as freely as if they 
had come to him without eflbrt on his 
part. When adversity comes, he strug- 
gles manfully against it, and dreads more 
the loss of position, which wealth gives 
him, than the loss of money. The nu- 
merous suicides which accompanied the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



93 



recent financial troubles in Vienna were 
of those whose reputed wealtli fjave them 
the entree to the palaces of royalty. The 
thousands who lost all merely shrugged 
their shoulders and have gone to work, 
scheming and speculating, and confident 
that the next turn of the wheel will 
bring them to the top again. A Vienna 
banker now here, whose fortune was 
swept away, remarked to me to-day that 
he had a few thousand guilders left, and 
would resume business in the fall, confi- 
dent of recovering his losses during the 
winter. 

But these characteristics pervade all 
grades of life in the cities. All are 
given to speculation and a desire to accu- 
mulate money rapidly, and take but little 
care of it when they are successful. The 
purchase of lottery-tickets and lottery- 
policies SAveeps ofl" the earnings of the 
working-people, while the traffic in fancy 
stocks is indulged in by all who have 
accumulated a few hundred guilders. 
Where so much money is lost, a great 
deal must be won, and there are con- 
sequently numbers of millionaires in 
Vienna whose equipages and villas com- 
pare favorably with those of royalty, and 
there are always enough at the top of 
the ladder to make up for those who lose 
their hold and fall to the ground. Those 
who have money, however, spend it freely, 
and live a life of reckless jollity. A man's 
wealth is often estimated in Vienna by 
the number of mistresses he keeps, and 
by the magnificence of their equipages, 
diamonds, and dresses. 

VICE IN THE CITIES. 

There is no other city in the world, not 
even Paris, that can rival the metropolis of 
Austria in sensuality and immorality, and 
in these respects there is a universality 
of sentiment that is quite remarkable. 
There are no establishments in Vienna, 
however, like those which have proved 
such a nuisance to the citizens of the 
Eastern School District of Baltimore, for 
the reason that professionals of that class 
do not exist there. There are, in short, 
no flaunting courtesans in Vienna, as are 
to be seen on the streets of Paris, or even 
in New York or Baltimore. Where virtue 
is such a rarity there is no opportunity 
for making a specialty of vice, and it has 
no special locality. In this respect 
Vienna Avould appear to the casual vis- 
itor more free from this species of social 
evil than any other large city in the world ; 
but a visit to the foundling hospital, 
where upon an average about forty in- 



fants are received daily, or to the general 
hospital, where the illegitimate births ave- 
rage thirty a day, shows the pre-eminence 
of Vienna over all other cities in the world. 
There are twenty thousand soldiers always 
in the city, mostly young men from the pro- 
vinces, Avho could not marry if they would, 
and would not if they could. They have no 
means to support a wife, and seldom have 
money sufiicient to pay the Church char- 
ges for the performance of the marriage 
ceremony. They can be seen in crowds 
with the young girls on the Ringstrasse 
and the Prater. They form attachments, 
but are never expected to marry. Their 
example is followed by the young men in 
other walks of life, and we are told that 
there are fewer marriages in Vienna than 
in almost any other city of one-third the 
population. There seems to be no attempt 
made by the authorities or by the Church 
to remedy this evil, which has become so 
universal that, among the laboring classes 
especially, there are few mothers who 
have husbands. 

VIRTUE IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS. 

Whilst this is the condition of aSairs 
in all the large cities of Austria, virtue is 
the rule and vice the exception in the 
rural districts. There are no more vir- 
tuous people in the world than the agri- 
culturists of Austria. They are indus- 
trious, cleanly, and temperate, and it 
would be difficult to find a people any- 
where, male and female, whose personal 
appearance gives more complete assurance 
of the possession of all these virtues. 
They are all robust in health, physically 
strong, comfortably but plainly attired, 
remarkable for cleanliness, and seem both 
happy and contented. They come to town 
in good carriages, drawn by strong and 
well-fed horses, ^nd no country can pre- 
sent a finer peasantry. To expect lewd- 
ness among such a people M'Ould be like 
looking for it in a Shaker settlement. The 
formers' daughters dress precisely as 
their mothers do, nothing but solemn 
black being allowed. Indeed, if there 
is any difference it is in the quality of 
the silk, satin,, or velvet, and the mother 
is always clad in the more costly raiment. 
The young men are also dressed like their 
fathers, and their strong limbs and ruddy 
faces indicate that they have been brought 
up to work. They are never seen about 
the towns except on Church holidays, 
and they participate in the ceremonies 
with an earnestness and enthusiasm that 
are not to be seen among the young men 
of the cities. They are all given a limited 



94 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



education ; they are at least taught to 
read and write, and occasionally the 
most precocious of them are sent to col- 
lege. They are compelled to serve three 
years in the army, and whatever vices 
they may have contracted during their 
service must be abandoned on their return 
to the family homestead. 

BIRDS OF GER5{ANY, 

The birds of Germany, like the crows 
of Ireland, are the pets of the people, 
both in the city and the country. They 
are protected by law ; but no law is 
needed for their protection. They are so 
tame that many of them build their nests 
inside of the houses, and are never dis- 
turbed by old or young. Throw down a 
few crumbs, and they will come doAvn 
from the trees and almost eat out of your 
hand. The consequence is that fruit- 
gi'owers never suffer from the invasion of 
worms, and the plum and damson, which 
have almost disappeared from our mar- 
kets, grow here to the greatest perfection. 
The holidays are not distinguished, as 
they are with us, by a throng of boys and 
men with shot-guns pouring into the 
country and slaying out of mere wanton- 
ness the feathery tribe, which are regarded 
here as the most efficient co-laborers to 
the agriculturist. 

GERMAN TEMPERANCE. 

Horace Maynard, in his address before 
the managers of the Harlem Inebriate 
Asylum of Baltimore, alluded, I see, to the 
baneful effect of that social sentiment in 
America which regai-ds a refusal to accept 
an invitation to drink as a cause of personal 
offense, whilst a refusal to take a cigar or 
to eat is not so regarded. This is un- 
doubtedly the foundation of intemperance ; 
but it has no existence in Germany. No 
one here invites or urges another man to 
drink with him or at his expense. Men sit 
down and drink together, as a general 
rule ; but no man pays for what the other 
drinks unless that other is too poor to pay 
for it himself. Each drinks as many 
glasses as he may desire, and when the 
waiter comes for the money each pays for 
what he has drunk. According to our sys- 
tem, if a half-dozen men sit down to drink, 
each one must treat in his turn, and thus 
each must drink six times, whether 
he desires it or not. It is thus that 
drunkards are made and fortunes are ac- 
quired by tavern-keepers. If it were not 
for our system of " treating," excessive 
drinking would not be so common, and 
inebriate asylums would be as unnecessary 



as they are here. Nothing stronger than 
beer or wine finds any sale, and even this 
is drunk in moderation. It is not gulped 
down, but drunk slowly, or rather sipped, 
whilst eating. If you desired to offend a 
German you could not accomplish it more 
successfully than by insisting on paying 
for what he has drunk or eaten at the same 
table with you. " Do you wish to insvilt 
me?" would be the exclamation that would 
greet you on the introduction of such an 
American idea at the social board in Ger- 
many. 

WEALTH OF THE CHURCH. 

The Catholic Church in Austria is al- 
most the only Church, except in the Hun- 
garian portion of the empire, although full 
liberty in religion is granted to every one 
of late years. Hungary is Protestant, and 
Hungary is the heart of the present Aus- 
trian Empire, and to satisfy Hungary all 
the barriers against religious freedom have 
been swept away. The Catholic Church 
is, however, the great land- and property- 
holder of the nation, and from its income 
could pay the interest on the national debt 
without seriously feeling it financially. 
A fine property is seldom offered for sale 
that the Church is not the purchaser, even 
to dwelling-houses in Vienna. We have 
been surprised very often, whilst passing 
through the country, to find such immense 
possessions pointed out to us as belonging 
to the Church, and in Vienna we have been 
assured that nearly one-tenth of the popu- 
lation reside in houses which are the prop- 
erty of the Church. Among these Church 
houses in Vienna are several covering en- 
tire blocks, in which the number of people 
who are residents ranges from twelve to 
twenty-eight hundred, all occupying sep- 
arate suites of rooms or renting furnished 
apartments. 

EXTREME POLITENESS. 

We have before noticed the extreme po- 
liteness of the Austrians, which we find 
to be as general in the country as among 
the Viennese. A nod of recognition is 
not sufficient, but you are deemed rude 
and unmannerly if the hat is not raised 
clear from the head every time you pass 
any one to whom you have been introduced. 
The people of the village are equally per- 
sistent in the exchange of bows ; whilst the 
waiters, chambermaids, and everybody 
about the hotels make a set bow to their 
guests every time they pass them. " To . 
do as the Germans do," every one must 1 1 
constantly be on the qui vim to return T ' 
a salutation with the same measure of 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



95 



politeness with Tvhich it is given. Even 
at the store of the village apothecary you 
are expected to uncover on entering, re- 
turn the polite bow of the proprietor and 
his clerks, and keep your hat off until you 
make your bow on retiring. 

GERMAN SUMMER RESORTS. 

We have during our journeying had 
some experience at German watering- 

S laces, and especially at the Iodine 
_prings of Hall, which we have made a 
resting-place, as a point where we could 
always find a cool atmosphere, and some 
kind friends who are availing themselves 
of the use of its waters. Whilst Baden- 
Baden had the attractions of its gambling- 
saloons, people went there who were not 
sick. It was a place for frolic and fun 
and gambling; but it has now, like all 
the rest of the German springs, become 
almost exclusively the resort of those who 
are suffering from some of the ailments 
that " flesh is heir to." European tour- 
ists always stopped to see life at the Ger- 
man springs, but life has suddenly gone 
out of those resorts. At Hall we have 
hops, music on the promenade, theatricals, 
Hellman the magician, etc. The lame 
and the halt are the spectators at the balls, 
and those whose ailments do not interfere 
with their locomotion help to make up the 
quadrilles. But one-half of the visitors 
have their jaws tied up, a goodly portion 
are wheeled about in chairs, and some 
hobble along with crutches and canes. 
This is the case at most of the summer 
resorts of Germany, and those who pro- 
fess to have come for the " fun of the 
thing" are laughed at. The first question 
of a new acquaintance is, " What is the 
matter with you ?" The presence of 
Americans who profess to be sound is a 
marvel to the ailing visitors. A young 
Baltimorean who asserted that he came 
for the " fun of the thing" was caught 
drinking the waters the other morning, 
and, in response to a query of doubt, re- 
plied that he wished to see if it would not 
make his moustache grow. However, a 
visit to these resorts of the suffering and 
afflicted is apt to cause a feeling of thank- 
fulness among those who are enjoying 
good health and who have the full use of 
their limbs and faculties. Is is sad to see 
the number of children here who have 
been sufferers from their cradles, many 
of them prostrate and helpless at an age 
when all should be life, joy, and activity. 
No one is allowed to drink the " iodine 
water," or to take a bath, without a pre- 
scription from the physician. This, of 



itself, will show how few visit these 
springs who are not compelled to do so 
under the direction of their physicians. 
Singular as it may seem, most of those 
who are here for medical treatment are 
in the spring-tide of life, and the place 
is not without gaj'^ety and amusement. 
Hall being ten thousand feet above the 
level of the sea, with snow-clad mountains 
glittering in the sun in the distance, the 
summer solstice is disarmed of its powers, 
and whilst the heat of Vienna, a hundred 
miles distant, is reported as almost un- 
bearable, we are only comfortable in 
woolen clothing. 

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. 

Among the guests at Hall are quite a 
number of Russian and Austrian children, 
nearly all of whom can speak the English 
language. This is the case especially 
with the Russian and North German 
children. They are in charge of govern- 
esses, and t^eir general conversation is in 
English, though they speak French and 
their native tongues also. A little Rus- 
sian here, not five years of age, speaks 
very correctly in English, French, and 
Russian. We were astonished a day or 
two since at hearing a voice under our 
window exclaiming, " William, if you do 
not come here this minute I will tell your 
mother." The children are taught to 
speak English, although their parents 
have no knowledge of the language. 
This would indicate that the next gener- 
ation will at least speak our language 
more extensively than the present does. 
So much for President Grant's prediction. 

THE USE OF TOBACCO. 

We have been rather surprised to find 
SO few persons smoking pipes in Austria. 
Indeed, a pipe is very seldom seen ex- 
cept among the laboring classes. The 
favorite mode of using the weed here is 
in cigai'ettes, almost every gentleman 
being provided with a silver box, which 
contains Turkish tobacco and small 
slips of paper with mucilage on them, 
ready for rolling. They make them as 
they use them, and are very expert in the 
handling of the tobacco. The chewing 
of tobacco is universally repudiated, 
being regarded as the height of vulgarity. 
The Turkish tobacco is of fine flavor, and 
commands high prices. It is very much 
in appearance like the fine-cut chewing- 
tobacco so extensively used at home. 
The cigars made by the Austrian govern- 
ment, which are the only description to 
be had, are very inferior, and it is not to 



96 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



be wondered at that the cigarette is so 
generally used in preference. The smok- 
ing of cigarettes by ladies is quite com- 
mon, especially among the higher classes. 



[The following letters were written a 
short time before the famous gamViling- 
saloons were closed. These saloons must 
have been the main attraction of Baden, 
as its numerous hotels are now nearly 
empty, and many of them closed.] 

BADEN-BADEN. 

gambling as a science. 

Hotel d'Angleteree, 
Baden-Baden, August 18, 1872. 

We left Geneva at noon on Saturday, 
after four days very pleasantly spent in 
that beautiful city, en route for the great 
German springs of Baden-Baden. The 
distance being rather great for one day's 
journey, we divided it by stopping over- 
night at the beautiful town of Neufchatel, 
on the Lake of Neufchatel, where we ar- 
rived about six o'clock in the evening. 
Like all Swiss towns, it is famous for its 
hotels, and the Mont Blanc, at which we 
spent the night, is one of the most ele- 
gant houses we hav^ seen in Switzerland, 
it appears to have been constructed re- 
gardless of expense, and in all its ap- 
pointments and furniture is equal to the 
finest of the New York hotels. 

Neufchatel is beautifully situated on 
the slope of the Jura mountain, and is 
immediately on the lake, rendering it a 
delightful place for a few days' sojourn. 
The excursions into the mountains are 
very fine. 

TO BADEN-BADEN. 

Being desirous always to spend Sun- 
day, or at least as much as possible of it, 
in an important place, we determined to 
push on with our journey, so as to reach 
the famous watering-place of Baden-Ba- 
den as early as possible on Sunday. 
Leaving Neufchatel at seven o'clock in 
the morning, we hoped to reach our des- 
tination early in the afternoon, but it was 
six o'clock in the evening before we ar- 
rived. It Avas the most difficult day's 
travel Ave have yet encountered, having 
had to change cars six times during the 
journey, and, the orders being given in 
German, we were constantly upon the 
alert lest we should find ourselves oS" 
the route. At Basle, on passing from 
Switzerland to Germany, we not only had 
our luffiraffe examined, but were trans- 



ported from one depot to another, about 
three miles across the city, in omnibuses. 
We came to the conclusion that it would 
be a blessing to travelers if a Tom Scott 
should turn up here who would contrive 
to consolidate their roads and run through 
trains. It was a long and tedious jour- 
ney, but nothing of interest occurred on 
the route. On the Swiss side of the line 
musical societies, with their bands and 
banners, were arriving and departing 
from the different stations. 

BADEN-BADEN ON SUNDAY. 

It was almost dark in the evening by 
the time we had secured quarters, which 
was only done after application at three 
diiierent hotels. We made our first move- 
ment on the streets of Baden-Baden just 
as the lamps were being lit, leisurely 
strolling along in front of the principal 
hotels. We were musing upon the simi- 
larity of the scene to that presented at 
Saratoga on a summer evening, when, 
turning a bend on the street, there sud- 
denly appeai-ed to our vision one of the 
most brilliant gas-light scenes we have 
ever witnessed. It had become quite 
dark by this time, and the lights were all 
ablaze in every direction, but immediately 
before us the profusion of gas was almost 
dazzling, and was shining upon an assem- 
blage of not less than ten thousand people, 
male and female, who Avere congregated 
around an immense palatial building 
with Corinthian columns, from every 
door and window of Avhich Avere streaming 
rays of light. Directly in front of the 
centre of this building stood a temple or 
pagoda, somewhat similar in shape to 
the music pagoda at Druid Hill, but made 
of iron, and light and graceful in its pro- 
portions. In the centre of this pagoda 
hung a single chandelier, Avith nearly one 
hundred lights, and between every two 
pillars was a very large glass globe, con- 
taining several gas-jets. A band of fully 
sixty performers was stationed in the 
pagoda, playing, as we approached, the 
concert being interspersed Avith occasional 
solo performances by distinguished artists. 
The front of this structure is fully three 
times the breadth of the mansion at 
Druid Ilill, and both inside and outside, 
to the extent of several hundred yards 
each way, Avas a mass of jieoide, either 
seated or walking, through which it was 
difficult to make one's Avay. Immediately 
in front of the building thousands of 
ladies and gentlemen were taking refresh- 
ments, furnished from an elegant restau- 
rant located in the farther end of the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



97 



building, whilst an extensive array of 
ladies, flashing with diamonds, were seated 
under the porticoes, and conversing with 
groups of gentlemen congregated around 
them. 

This of course proved to be the famous 
Conmrsationshaus,ov more properly speak- 
ing, the great gambling-house of Baden- 
Baden, the most splendid establishment 
of the kind in the world. Immediately 
to the right of the grand promenade in 
front of the building were two rows of 
stores, probably numbering a hundred, 
all of which, notAvithstanding it was Sun- 
day evening, were open, and their goods 
displayed under a full blaze of gas-light. 
They consisted of such fancy and jewelry 
stores as we usually find at watering- 
places, and people were strolling around 
and making purchases. The outdoor 
scene was undoubtedly very brilliant, the 
grounds and gardens in front being also 
interspersed with numerous gas-lights and 
thronged with pi'omenaders. 

THE GAMBLING SCENE, 

We finally made our way into the 
building, and found the immense assem- 
bly-room in the centre thronged with 
most respectable and decorous people, 
and a large number of men in showy 
liverjr, with breeches and knee-buckles, 
running about. The gentlemen were all 
required to take off their hats upon enter- 
ing, and if they failed to do so one of the 
attendants would politely jog them on the 
elbow with an invitation to remove their 
chapeau. Profound silence was main- 
tained, and groups of ladies and gentle- 
men were reclining on ottomans near the 
windows, listening to the exquisite music 
of what is said to be the finest band in 
the world. We had no thought of find- 
ing gambling in progress on Sunday even- 
ing, but observing at the upper end of 
the room a table about thirty feet long, 
with a throng of men and women around 
it, three or four deep, we made our Avay 
towards it. Here we found four elegantly- 
dressed gentlemen sitting on either side 
of the centre of the table. One was turn- 
ing the roulette-wheel, and the other three 
were paying the losses or hauling in the 
winnings of the bank, from piles of gold 
and silver heaped up before them. They 
each had a stick with a wooden block upon 
the end, with which they pushed the losses 
to the throngs of players, or hauled in their 
winnings. Numerous similar sticks were 
lying around the table, which the players 
used in pushing their money to the figure 
or color on which they desired to bet, 
7 



or in hauling in their winnings. The 
inner line of players around the table, 
among whom were seven females, were 
seated in chairs. The outside players 
would occasionally lay down a five-franc 
piece, which is the smallest sum allowed 
to be bet. Some of those on the inner circle 
at times bet qviite heavily, as high as five 
or ten napoleons on a figure or color, and, 
so far as our observation went, the bank 
was largely the winner. The female 
players all showed their feelings in their 
countenances, but most of the men re- 
minded one of the automaton chess- 
player ; their countenances were immova- 
ble and stolid to a degree that was most 
remarkable. Whether winning or losing, 
they made no sign of feeling. After 
viewing this novel scene for some time, 
we passed into an adjoining room, and 
here found a second table, thronged with 
players at roulette in full blast, some bet- 
ting gold and others silver. In the rear, 
to the right of this room, was a third 
roulette-taljle. similar to the other two. 
surrounded with players and spectators. 
The women betting at these tables were 
more numerous than the men. and most 
of them invariably bet gold. They were 
nearly all elderly women, elegantly 
dressed, with a profusion of diamonds. 
I observed one young man, with his bride 
at his side, betting very heavily, and in- 
variably losing. When his j^urse was 
empty she drew forth hers and placed a 
pile of gold in his hand. He played on, 
and tliis was soon gone also, when, taking 
his wife's arm, they both walked off as 
cheerful, apparently, as if their losings 
had been so many grains of corn. But 
many have left these tables at night, 
making no sign of feeling or remorse, to 
blow their brains out before morning. 

ROUGE-ET-NOIR. 

Observing a fourth one of these elegant 
apartments to be pretty well thronged, 
we entered there also, and found the 
game of rouge-et-noir progressing. This 
is played by the dealing out of seven 
cards, the players betting on certain 
numbers on the table on either side of 
the dealers. The same throng of players, 
male and female, were here also, and the 
same surrounding of spectators, some of 
whom would occasionally make a bet. 
Our attention was attracted to a young 
man who was standing next to the inner 
line of players, with the most immovable 
countenance. He was not over twenty- 
five years of age, and whilst the others 
seemed to be playing and betting at hap- 



98 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



hazard, his whole mind was upon the 
game. He aloce seemed to be playing 
upon system, and, whilst others were 
nearly always losing, he was continually 
drawing in his winnings. His whole 
mind was so intent upon the game that 
he noticed nothing that was going »n 
around him. He had no eyes for any- 
thing but the table or the player. An old 
lady who was sitting near him had lost 
everything, when her attention was at- 
tracted by his success. She had risen up 
to retire, when she borrowed a five-franc 
piece from a woman behind her, and, re- 
suming her seat, pushed the coin towards 
the young man, asking him to bet for 
her. He pushed it back to her without a 
word or a gesture, and went on with his 
playing. The woman behind whispered 
to her, and she then commenced to 
bet just as he bet, and to win just as 
he won. An hour afterwards, as we 
passed through this room, the silent man 
was betting and Avinning, and the woman 
availing herself of his luck, or his skill 
in playing, we wei-e unable to decide 
which. Certainly he must have won 
many thousands of francs during the 
evening, unless his luck deserted him at 
a later hour. The other players were so 
intent on their own bettings that they 
did not note this little side-game that 
was in progress. Our impression was that 
he had discovered that the best plan was 
to place his money where no one else 
was betting, and where the bank would 
lose the least by allowing him to win. 
Sometimes, at the last moment, he would 
push his money from one point to an- 
other, and the woman would imitate 
him, always with success. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 

Whilst all this gambling was progress- 
ing inside the hall, it attracted no atten- 
tion from the great mass of people assem- 
bled who were sitting around the balconies 
in conversation, or promenading. Those 
who were looking on seemed, like our- 
selves, mostly strangers, and the betters 
may possibly also have been the green- 
horns of the same class. It was altogether 
a novel scene, and a most brilliant one in 
all its surroundings. Meantime the band 
was performing the most artistic music, 
and occasionally round after round of 
applause would greet its rendering of 
favorite airs. The whole mass of visitors 
to Baden-Baden undoubtedly were here 
assembled to spend the evening, and there 
could not have been less than ten thou- 
sand. 



Baden-Baden, August 19, 1872. 
Baden-Baden is described in the guide- 
books as the greatest and most famous 
watering-place in the world. It may 
possibly be the greatest in Europe, but it 
cannot in any respect be compared with 
Saratoga. It is beautifully located in a 
mountain valley, and is at all times cool 
and pleasant, with a temperature seldom 
exceeding eighty degrees. It has all the 
accessories of fine drives and walks and 
shady retreats, but its waters are nothing 
better than can be obtained at home from 
the spout of a tea-kettle with a little fire- 
under it. A drink of hot water upon an 
empty stomach has been discovered by 
the German doctors to have the same good 
efiects as one drawn from the springs of 
Baden. We went up this morning at 
seven o'clock to the Trinkhalle, where the 
water is conducted from the springs in 
pipes, and where the people go to drink it. 
We did not find a dozen persons there, 
and those were mostly old people who 
are endeavoring to cheat old Time out of 
his dues. We tasted the water, and it 
was hot, decidedly hot, and the steam 
was ascending from the stone basin into 
which it was running. Most of those 
who were drinking stirred something in 
it from a paper which they brought with 
them, and others mixed it with liquid 
from a bottle. Whether they were mak- 
ing hot whisky punches or merely en- 
deavoring to make the hot water more 
palatable we do not know ; but very few 
drank it simple and pure as we tasted it. 

THE BADEN HOTELS. 

We expected to find the hotels here 
something superior to anything in Europe, 
but in size and appearance, and all their 
appointments, the best of them are scarce- 
ly up to the second-class hotels to be 
found all over Switzerland. There can- 
not be said to be more than three first-class 
houses here, and they are not, all com- 
bined; as large as the Metropole in Ge- 
neva. Congress Hall and the Union, at 
Saratoga, can accommodate more than all 
the hotels, large and small, in Baden. 
The number of visitors here this season, 
up to this seventeenth day of August, is 
just forty thousand. None of the hotels 
here are more than three or four stories 
high, and there is not an elevator in the 
place. There is a stream of water run- 
ning down from the springs through a 
walled-up sluice passing through the city, 
which borders the grand thoroughfare on 
which the Trinkhalle, the Conversations- 
haus, and the nrincipal hotels are located. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



99 



This street, with its dense foliage of shade- 
trees and vines, is very beautiful ; but the 
back streets, upon which no hotels are 
located, have very few attractions. They 
are narrow and winding, and plentifully 
supplied with small stores and restaur- 
ants. The local population is about six 
thousand, and, including the boarding- 
houses, there is accommodation at anyone 
time for more than a thousand strangers. 

THE SPRINGS " HELL." 

That portion of the city in which the 
springs are located is called by the people 
" Hell." The hot springs ai'e thirteen in 
number, the principal one being of a tem- 
perature of 153° Fahr. The water is very 
clear and tasteless, but has rather a dis- 
agreeable smell when it first issues from 
the springs. It is said by some to taste 
like weak broth ; but we could discover 
nothing but the ordinary taste of hot 
water, though we all imbibed it very 
sparingly. The chemists say that its 
quality is saline, with a mixture of muri- 
atic and carbonic acid and small portions 
of silex and oxide of iron. A building 
is erected over the principal spring, but 
we could not see that any one was troub- 
ling the waters. It is conveyed from the 
springs in pipes to numerous bath-houses, 
which are very complete in all their ar- 
rangements. Hot baths could be had, 
heated from the fires below, in either 
Turkish or Christian style. They do not 
seem to be much attended, the whole rush 
of the town being to the Conversations- 
haus, where from two to eleven o'clock 
P.M. all the visitors to Baden seem to 
have congregated in and about it, old and 
young, grave and gay. Those who don't 
play seem to like to look on, whilst others 
are attracted by the music, or come to 
see the throng who congregate here daily. 
It is a beautiful spot, and would, with its 
accessories, prove an endless attraction 
anywhere. Its broad portico, lofty ceil- 
ings, splendidly decorated walls, its bril- 
liant chandeliers, the main one with over 
three hundred lights ; its abundance of 
chairs, sofas, and ottomans, and every ap- 
pliance of comfort ; its free open-air con- 
certs, its shady walks and promenades, 
all combine to make it the most perfect 
temple for the pleasures of life that could 
be devised. Here idlers, pleasure-seek- 
ers, and invalids from all parts of the 
world are congregated, and the fools with 
more money than brains come to Baden 
to try their luck. Last week the Prussian 
Minister was here, and lost seventeen 
thousand dollars at one sitting. 



THE GAMBLING-HOUSE. 

The Conversationshaus or gambling- 
house of Baden is undoubtedly the great 
attraction of this place. Without it, 
— and the law for its abolishment will 
go into force at the close of the present 
season, — Baden will no longer attract 
visitors from all parts of the world. 
There is nothing in its waters to attract, 
and nothing in its mountain scenery that 
is not far excelled at Interlaken and other 
places in Switzerland. But it is not alone 
the gambling that attracts, but the ad- 
juncts of the establishment, — its extensive 
reading-room, supplied with all the papers 
of Europe, its fine music, its spacious 
and elegantly furnished halls for conver- 
sation and social intercourse, its shady 
walks, its theatre, concert-hall, and ball- 
room, all of which are part and parcel of 
this great gambling establishment, out 
of the profits of which these attractions 
are furnished, and are free to the visitors 
of Baden. This banking-house is the 
property of one man, and all the ele- 
gantly-attired operators at the tables are 
his employed clerks. For the exclusive 
privilege of keeping a gambling-house in 
Baden he contracted to furnish all these 
adjuncts to his establishment, and he has 
foithfully adhered to his contract. The 
band performs three times a day, from 
seven to eight o'clock in the morning, 
from three to four in the afternoon, and 
a regular concert at night, commencing 
at eight o'clock and closing at half-past 
ten. The performei's are all solo artists, 
and many of them are at high salary. 
The players and cashiers at the tables 
number over fifty, there being two sets 
for each table, and the liveried attendants 
are at least fifty more. It is their duty to 
furnish seats and cards for the players, 
take charge of their coats, shawls, and 
parasols, and to preserve order and de- 
corum in and around the building and 
grounds. Over the Corinthian columns 
in front of the main entrance is the word 
"Conversation" carved in stone, but it 
should be "the hall of silence." With 
more than a hundred persons sitting and 
standing around each of the four tables 
in the four largest rooms, everything is so 
profoundly quiet that, were it not for the 
lowly-uttered announcement of the game, 
a person blindfolded might suppose the 
rooms to be empty. All conversation is 
conducted in the lowest whisper, and 
the players never exchange words with 
each other. The pliiying commences at 
eleven o'clock in the morning, and closes 



100 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



promptly at eleven o'clock at night, the 
game going on without the slightest in- 
terruption for twelve hours. 

GAMBLING SCENES. 

We spent several hours yesterday in the 
vicinity of the gaming-tables, and watched 
the game and the players very closely. 
Our conclusions were that the jjrolits of 
each of these four tables were not less than 
five thousand dollars for the day, or twenty 
thousand dollars for the whole. The con- 
stant change that is going on among the 
players indicates that the losses of each 
are comparatively light, and that the 
number of players at each table during 
the day is probably several hundred. 
Every moment some one draws off and 
leaves, with his money all gone, endeav- 
oring to conceal the chagTin which is 
too apparent to one who closely watches 
his countenance. His place is imme- 
diately taken Ijy another, who in his turn 
is cleaned out and departs. Some of the 
players bring large amounts of gold with 
them and play heavily, betting from fifty 
to one hundred dollars on each deal of the 
cards or turn of the wheel. These we 
closely watched, and saAV the last gold 
coin depart. Some, as their stock became 
low, would send for more ; but most of 
them withdrew, assuming a careless and 
nonchalant air. As we passed around 
among the tables it frequently happened 
that scarcely any who had been playing a 
half-hour previous remained, their places 
being filled by new aspirants for fortune's 
favors. 

At some of the tables mothers and their 
daughters were playing side by side ; at 
others, husband and wife, and lover and 
betrothed. It was curious to watch their 
rising and falling fortunes. In numer- 
ous instances we witnessed wives en- 
deavoring to draw their husbands away 
from the table ; but the etiquette of the 
gambling-saloon required that it should 
be done by si'gns rather than by words. 
In one case the wife stood by with trem- 
bling lips and watched her infatuated hus- 
band lose a handful of gold coin, until 
the last one had slipped through his fin- 
gers. He then rose, and they walked 
quietly away arm in arm. In about ten 
minutes they returned, and the husband 
took his seat at the table with about 
thirty gold coins in his hand. He played 
wildly, laying down from three to five 
coins. at each bet, and when he won he 
would leave the whole amount on the 
number. Finally they were all gone but 
three, and both seemed in great distress. 



The wife leaned over her husband's shoul- 
der and whispered something in his ear, 
when he handed her the three coins and 
left, she taking his seat. She played cau- 
tiously, and gradually won, having, when 
we last saw her, about forty napoleons in 
her hand. The sign of sorrow on her 
countenance had departed, and she was 
looking around for the return of her hus- 
band. Whether she withdrew before her 
luck changed we do not know, but an 
hour after, when we returned to the table, 
neither husband nor wife was there. 

The young man whom we left at the 
table on the previous night with his pock- 
ets full of gold that he had won, was not 
to be seen about the saloons to-day. 
Whether he continued to play and lost, 
or whether he retired with his winnings, 
we do not know ; but, as it was near the 
closing hour, the latter is most likely. 
The woman who retrieved her fortune by 
following and imitating his bets was, 
however, early on hand yesterday morn- 
ing, and was very flush. We passed the 
table several times during the afternoon, 
and she was still playing ; but on our re- 
turn after tea she was sitting on one 
of the sofas, her countenance too plainly 
indicating the result of her day's venture. 
Several times she held up her fan before 
her face to conceal the act of wiping away 
her tears ; and this was but one of several 
similar instances that passed under our 
observation. Several old men, bent and 
decrepit with age, maintained their seats 
nearly all day. They never bet more 
than one dollar, and their losses were con- 
sequently light, but we saw them fre- 
quently hand in notes to be changed. In- 
dependently of those who would sit down 
regularly to play, there was a constant 
throng of men and women, standing two 
or three deep, who would occasionally 
venture a dollar, and, losing two or three, 
would depart, wiser if not wealthier. 

In a game of chance those who are look- 
ing on can generally see more of the game 
than the players. Those who were play- 
ing and losing doubtless thought that 
others around them were winning ; but 
we feel confident that not a man or a wo- 
man of the thousands venturing on these 
tables did not leave with less money than 
they brought with them. Men who win 
money at gambling never stop playing ; 
those who lose all must stop. Several 
times we picked out a player who had a 
large sum of money piled up before 
him, and watched his varying fortunes.and 
his pile. Invariably the pile decreased, 
and invariably the player retired. The 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



101 



■women seemed to be the most persistent, 
and several times we observed them return 
with more money, to endeavor to recover 
their losses. Still, all was quiet as death 
in the hall and around the tables, not a 
word being uttered, except the announce- 
ments of the games. 

AN HOUR IN THE TEMPLE OF SILENCE 

THE ATTRACTIONS OF BADEN. 

Baden-Baden, August 21, 1872. 

Everybody has heard of Baden-Baden 
and its attractions and peculiarities, 
though but few have any idea of the sin- 
gular scenes hourly presented. There 
are not many Americans here, and of 
these very few approach the gaming-tables 
otherwise than as spectators. Some of 
them occasionally throw down a dollar, 
lose it, and depart ; but among the per- 
sistent players we have not yet seen either 
an American or an Englishman. The 
mass of players, male and female, are 
Germans, with a few French ; and, from 
the fact that fathers frequently have their 
sons by their sides trying their luck, and 
mothers their daughters, it is evident that 
they do not regard gambling in the same 
light that American mothers and fathers 
generally do. They may possibly be 
"showing them the folly of it," but their 
manner would seem to indicate a desire 
to inculcate a love for '• the little joker." 

The temptation to take a 'chance is un- 
doubtedly very great, especially when the 
players happen to be winning freely, as 
of course sometimes is the case. We saw 
a young man to-day, who had been look- 
ing on for some time, lay down a five- 
hundred-franc note. In an instant it was 
doubled. lie still left the whole amount 
on the table, and in a half-minute more 
his five hundred francs were increased to 
two thousand. He deliberately put the 
money in his pocket and left, having in 
two minutes won three hundred dollars. 
Had he remained ten minutes longer, ten 
chances to one he would have been pen- 
niless. 

" ROUGE-ET-NOIR." 

This is the favorite game of all the 
heavy players. At these tables the prin- 
cipal betting is with gold. It often hap- 
pens that several thousand francs are on 
the table at one time. The heavy players 
are generally elderly men, who go on 
playing as if it were the business of their 
life, and, so far as the countenance or 
manner would indicate, show not the 
slightest interest as to whether they win 
or lose. AVe saw an old gentleman to- 



day, who had played heavily and lost his 
last napoleon, get up from the table, 
quietly draw out his box and take a 
pinch of snuff, then, taking up his hat 
and smoothing it with his silk handker- 
chief, move otf towards the door. He 
had evidently lost more than a thousand 
dollars ; but there was not the slightest 
indication in his manner that it troubled 
him in the least. 

The elderly female players also prefer 
rouge-et-noir, and seldom approach the 
roulette-tables, where the younger ladies 
generally congregate and bet their five- 
franc pieces. The latter play very cau- 
tiously, and are not generally so success- 
ful in concealing their emotions as the 
elderly ladies. They are compelled by 
the rules to maintain absolute silence ; 
but their countenances are apt to betray 
their feelings. 

Rouge-et-noir is played with cards, 
which are handled only by the dealer. 
lie has four packs of cards carefully shuf- 
fled together, and cut by the players. 
The betting is made upon squares and 
diamonds on the green baize tables, and 
when he deals out nine, and sometimes 
ten or twelve, cards, the result of the bets 
is in some instances very decided, most 
of the betters either losing all or doubling 
their money. It does not require a half- 
minute to settle each game, and the board 
is swept by either the bank or the player 
at least sixty times per hour. As the 
game continues without the slightest in- 
termission from eleven o'clock in the 
morning until eleven at night, there must 
be over seven hundred games played at 
each table during the twelve hours. 

There are seats for eighteen players, 
one dealer, and three bankers, at each of 
the rouge-et-noir tables, whilst there are 
rows of spectators and occasional betters 
surrounding the table three or four deep. 
The occasional betters are tempted by 
degrees to venture more deeply, and when 
those that are seated retire they take 
their places. There is never any scarcity 
of players, as a crowd is always on hand 
waiting for the bank to open at eleven 
o'clock. This morning, ten minutes after 
the opening all the tables Avere in full 
blast, the seats filled, and a circle three 
or four deep formed around them. 

THE ROULETTE-TABLES. 

The roulette-tables have four bankers, 
one of whom turns the wheel, and two 
men seated at each end of the table, 
who see that the bets are all properly 
laid and generally superintend the game. 



102 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



These tables seat about eighteen players, 
whilst those among the spectators who 
occasionally make a venture are much 
more numerous than at the rouge-et-noir 
tables. "Whilst the betting is not so heavy, 
the number who play is considerably 
larger. 

The bankers each have before them 
long rolls of silver five-franc pieces, and 
rolls of gold in sealed packages, — twenty- 
five napoleons in each. We should 
judge there are not less than twenty 
thousand dollars on each table, and al- 
though they are constantly changing 
notes for the players, which go into boxes, 
their stock of coin never appears to 
diminish. The bankers are relieved every 
two hours, others taking their places, and 
the game goes steadily on without the 
slightest intermission. In this game, by 
placing the money in certain ways the 
winner receives several times as much as 
he lays down, but most of the bets are 
merely to duplicate the sum mentioned. 
No one is allowed to play who is not of 
mature age, unless accompanied by his or 
her parents, which, singular to say, is 
very often the case. Husband and wife 
sitting side by side and playing, he with 
gold, and she with silver, can be seen 
at all times at all the tables. 

Last evening the tables were more 
densely crowded than at any time during 
our visit. A grand concert was in pro- 
gress on the lawn in front, which drew 
an immense assemblage, but the yjlaj^ers 
heeded not the outdoor attraction, con- 
tenting themselves with listening to it at 
a distance. The betting, as usual at 
night, was heavier, and we could not dis- 
cover that any one was winning. Not 
one of those whom we left at the tables 
before supper was there on our return. 

THE TEMPLE OF SILENCE. 

"What strikes the stranger as most sin- 
gular is the extreme order that is pre- 
served in every part of the building. On 
entering the outer colonnade a notice 
meets his eye to the eifect that gentlemen 
must not smoke. If he fails to regard 
the notice one of the liveried attendants 
politely calls his attention to it. On 
entering the door he finds a large as- 
semblage of ladies and gentlemen, the 
latter with their hats off, either sitting 
on the sofas or moving about as quietly 
as if they were in the house of death. A 
little stretch of the imagination might 
conceive that the silent throng bending 
9ver the long table at the other end of 



the room were surrounding and paying 
the last tribute to the lamented dead. 
No one for a moment, unaware of the 
fact, could possibly conceive that he 
was in a gambling-saloon, and that these 
silent people were all intent upon win- 
ning money at a game of chance. Passing 
into the next room, and the next, and the 
next, a repetition of this scene is pre- 
sented, amid the most solemn silence. 
People appear to walk upon their tip- 
toes, as not the slightest shuffling is to be 
heard, and when conversing, do so in the 
lowest possible whisper. Order and quiet 
are here more strictly observed than in 
the churches, and were it not for the gay 
scene by which one is surrounded, the 
strains of music from the band outside, 
the frescoed walls, lace curtains, gilded 
ceilings, and brilliant chandeliers, the 
voice of Brother Slicer, " Brethren, let us 
pray," might not sound altogether out of 
place. 

The reading-room at the upper end of 
the grand saloon is fitted up in the most 
elegant style, and is always thronged with 
both gentlemen and ladies. On the long 
table which passes through the centre 
of the room are to be found files of all 
the principal papers of the continent of 
Europe, carefully arranged, as well as 
those of London and New York. The table 
is surrounded by elegant easy-chairs, and 
along the walls sofas and divans are ar- 
ranged for the ease and comfort of visitors. 
The reading-room is brilliantly lit up at 
night, and, enter it when you will, there is 
always a full attendance of visitors poring 
over the papers. The cafe at the opposite 
end of the building is very extensive and 
finely conducted, and a great number of 
the boarders at the hotels take their meals 
here in preference. There is also a coat 
and shawl and umbrella room, where the 
players leave any articles that would otlier- 
wise incumber them, and receive checks 
from the attendant. Retiring-rooms for 
both ladies and gentlemen are also pro- 
vided, and everything arranged that is 
calculated to make gambling appear re- 
spectable and reputable. 

The theatre is a separate building, about 
the size of the Holliday Street Theatre, but 
is not open at present. There are two ar- 
cades of stores between the theatre and 
the grand promenade, which are stocked 
with rich and rare goods. All these com- 
bine to make the Conversationhaus the 
grand focus of attraction at Baden, and 
the afternoon and evening are spent 
here even by tliose who could never be 
induced to <ramble. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



103 



THE TEMPTATION TO PLAY. 

The casual observer, seeing parties oc- 
casionally win, takes but little notice of 
their losses, and is strongly tempted to 
try his or her luck. Those who lose say 
nothing as to their losses, and the few 
who win boast and magnify their gains. 
A young American was about to test his 
fortune this evening, when we prevailed 
upon him to watch any one player for a 
half-hour, and he would see that every 
player lost. At this moment an elderly 
gentleman stepped up and changed three 
napoleons for twelve five-franc pieces. 
He commenced betting two of the silver 
coins at a time. At his third investment 
he won eight five-franc pieces, and became 
moi'e free in his ventures. In ten minutes 
his money was all gone. He then got 
three more napoleons changed, and in ten 
minutes more the last of these was gone, 
and he left the table with a loss of one 
hundred and twenty francs in less than 
twenty minutes. Others were watched 
with similar results, and^we came to the 
conclusion that all who played lost, ex- 
cept the few who made a lucky venture 
and immediately stopped playing. 

ATTRACTIONS OF BADEN. 

The drives, promenades, and shady re- 
treats in and around Baden-Baden are 
undoubtedly very fine, and you can step 
into them in a few moments' walk from 
almost any part of the city. The moun- 
tain-sides are beautifully terraced, and 
can be ascended with ease by gradual ap- 
proaches. The valley in which the town 
and springs are located extends back 
many miles in the country, affording 
beautiful drives through the most roman- 
tic scenery. Many wealthy Germans 
have cottages here, and spend the whole 
summer, whilst others bring their horses 
and carriages. There are some vei-y fine 
turn-outs, including ladies' pony phaetons. 



BAVARIA. 

THE SALT-MINES, THE KONIGS-SEE. 

Reichenhall, Bavaria, July 24, 1873. 
We yesterday morning left delightful 
Vienna and the dominions of Francis 
Joseph, and after seven hours' run arrived 
at five o'clock in the afternoon in Salz- 
burg, which is close on the borders of the 
kingdom of Bavaria. Our baggage was 
formally examined ; that is to say, they 



looked at the inside of one trunk out of 
five, and passed the rest, which gave us a 
decidedly favorable impression of Bavarian 
intelligence, as the officer accepted our 
assurance that we had nothing which we 
had not brought from America with us, 
except a meerschaum pipe. 

THE CITY OF SALZBURG. 

This is a very quaint old city, situated 
on both banks of the river Salza, and 
has a population of almost twenty thou- 
sand. It is quite remarkable for the 
beauty of its situation, being, w'ith its en- 
virons, hemmed in by mountains towering 
to the height of from three to five thou- 
sand feet, covered to their summits with 
dense pine forests. An old castle and fort 
stand on a high hill to the left of the 
town, and the Kapuzinerbergc Mountain 
rises on the right bank of the river. Two 
bridges and a railway bridge connect the 
two parts of the town, the gray glacier 
water of the river rushing rapidly on 
towards the plains of Bavaria. Salzburg 
is a very old town, and has been alter- 
nately, amid the fortunes of war, Bava- 
rian and Austrian, it now belonging to 
Austria. The houses, with their flat roofs, 
the immense fountains, and the elegant 
structures in white marble, remind the 
traveler of Italy, whence the architects 
were usually brought by the archbishops 
prior to 1803, up to which time it was a 
spiritual principality. It has a fine old 
palace, erected in 1592, and the Govern- 
ment buildings, which contain a public 
exhibition of art of considerable merit. 
The principal attraction of Salzburg to 
the tourist, however, is that it was here 
Mozart, the great composer, was born. 
His house on the Ilannibal-platz, and the 
house where he was born, are indicated 
by inscriptions, whilst a fine statue in 
bronze, by Schwanthaler, erected in 1842, 
adorns the adjacent Platz. In the centre 
of the Platz is a very elegant ancient 
fountain, erected more than two hundred 
years ago, with four hippopotami at the 
corners, and a figure of Atlas in the cen- 
tre, whilst the w^ater is spouted out of a 
horn by a Triton at the summit. 

A RAILWAY ACCIDENT. 

We left Salzburg about half-past seven 
o'clock in the evening for our present 
stopping-place, the town of Reichenhall, 
expecting to reach there in an hour, but 
were detained on the road by an accident 
to our train. We had just left the first 
station, and were moving on through a 
splendid mountain panorama, the slopes 



104 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and little hillocks being finely cultivated, 
when a sharp, hissing explosion, which 
echoed through the mountains, together 
with the gradual stopping of the train, 
notified us that something Avas wrong with 
the engine. We soon found that its steam- 
chest had exploded, the rushing steam 
hiding that portion of the train from 
view. Fortuna'tely, however, no one was 
"lurt; though the fact that the train was 
»n the top of a high embankment at the 
time was suggestive of what might have 
occurred. Thepassenger^i, tothe number 
of about two hundred, so soon as they 
could get the conductors to unlock the 
doors of the cars, turned out en masse, 
and were soon back at the little town from 
which we had just started, and all quafiing 
immense mugs of Bavarian beer. 

THE TOWN OF REICHENHALL. 

A new locomotive was telegraphed for, 
and we finally got in motion again about 
nine o'clock, and reached our destination 
at the beautiful little town of Reichenhall 
about ten o'clock at night, but not too 
late to get a good supper. The frontier 
line between Austria and Bavaria was 
passed upon the road, which winds through 
a narrow defile along the base of the lofty 
Untersberg Mountain. 

Reichenhall cannot have a population 
of less than fifteen thousand inhabitants, 
and is quite a solid and substantial town, 
being the central point of union of the 
four principal Bavarian salt-works, which 
are connected by pipes and conduits of an 
aggregate length of forty-five miles. The 
surplus brine from the Berchtesgaden 
mine is conducted to Reichenhall, and 
pipes lead from here to two other towns 
in which salt-works have been erected, 
each of which becomes, like Reichenhall, 
a summer resort for salt-water bathing 
and the "whey cure." This salt water 
is so strong that over a quarter of a pound 
of salt is obtained from a pound of water, 
and bathing in it must be like taking a 
bath in strong pickle. * There are saline 
springs here also, the waters from which 
are at once conducted to the salt-pans. 

It is very evident that the Germans are 
losing their faith in the curative proper- 
ties of medicine, and are resorting to 
various other means of restoring health. 
In walking through Reichenhall between 
six and eight o'clock in the morning, es- 
pecially at the grounds of the bathing- 
houses, -\'\^ere bands of music are in at- 
tendance, one encounters many hundreds 
of persons imbibing wine-whey, from 
goat's milk, and walking so many rounds 



of the promenade between each glass. The 
whey is brought in from the surrounding 
country in wooden churns, on the backs 
of those never-failing carriers of heavy 
burdens, women, each of whom has her 
regular customers, dej^ending in a great 
measure on the quality of her com- 
modity. Thus, between the wine-whey 
and the salt baths, Reichenhall has be- 
come a great summer resort, with its 
hotels and boarding-houses, and plenty 
of people to fill them. There are " wine- 
cure" doctors here who give prescriptions 
as to the number of glasses and the 
strength of the brine to be used in bath- 
ing. The greater number of the visitors 
to Reichenhall come, however, for a few 
days' sojourn, during which they make 
excursions to the Kiinigs-See and Bei'ch- 
tesgaden, to visit which every traveler 
between Munich and Vienna stops here 
on his route. To pass on without stop- 
ping here would be regarded as gross 
neglect of all that is grand, wonderful, 
and beautiful. It is thus that we are 
here to see these great German wonders. 
The town of Reichenhall is, however, 
a very interesting place, being very pic- 
turesquely bounded upon three sides by 
a fine amphitheatre of mountains, — the 
Untersberg, six thousand feet high, the 
Lutherberg, of five thousand five hun- 
dred and fifty-three feet, and the Miill- 
nerhorn, of four thousand seven hundred 
and thirty-seven feet ; whilst the Ost, 
five thousand seven hundred and eigh- 
teen feet, stands sentry at the outlet of 
the salt regions. 

THE SALT-WORKS. 

These salt-works are all the property 
of the Bavarian government, which 
makes a monopoly of the manufacture, 
as does also the Austrian government. 
Extensive works for the evaporation of 
the brine and for boiling it .are erected 
here to manufacture into salt the surplus 
brine from the great Berchtesgaden mine, 
which we will visit to-day and endeavor 
in a subsequent letter to describe to your 
readers. There are also a number of 
saline springs here, the water of one of 
them being impregnated to the extent of 
twenty-three and a half per cent., and 
being at once conducted to the salt-pans, 
whilst that of the others is first evaporated 
in the graduating houses, which generally 
consist of twigs of blackthorn closely 
stacked under long roofs or sheds. The 
brine is conducted to -the upper part 
of these sheds, and allowed to trickle 
slowly through the twigs, by which pro- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



105 



cess It loses a large portion of the watery 
particles before it is collected into the 
reservoirs below. The great practical 
value of the process consists in the fact 
that, whilst the water is thus evaporated, 
and the other ingredients of the brine, 
carbonate of lime, etc., form a gradual 
incrustation on the thorns, the salt re- 
mains, almost without loss, in a state of 
solution. The twigs remain in use from 
three to six years, when they are burned, 
and their ashes form excellent manure. 
We, of course, visited the works, and 
examined the subterranean brine conduit 
and the vaulted channel, but imagine that 
a description of them would be rather 
dry reading, as well as very difficult. 

OUR "horrible language." 
We find that Bavaria knows as little 
of English as Austria does. A few even- 
ings since, whilst we were sitting at one 
of the tables in the Volksgarten, in Vi- 
enna, enjoj'ing the delightful music of 
Strauss, as rendered by Edward Strauss 
and his excellent orchestral band, two 
strange but evidently respectable German 
ladies were seated at the same table, so 
close that the conversation of one party 
could be distinctly heard by the other. 
A discussion arose between two of the 
American party as to the relative merits 
of the music of Wagner and Strauss, and 
at one time the conversation continued 
for a few moments after the music had 
commenced. One of the ladies looked 
around quite indignantly, and remarked 
to the other, in German, "You cannot 
expect people with such a horrible lan- 
guage as that to be able to appreciate or 
enjoy music." To this the other re- 
sponded, " Yes, it is almost as bad as the 
jargon of the Hungarians." Of course, 
they had no idea that any of us knew what 
they said, or had any better knowledge of 
their jargon than they had of ours. Now, 
it happens to be the invariable custom in 
Vienna when parties are thus sitting at 
the same table for the first that leaves to 
bow politely and say to whoever may be 
left at the talile, whether it be a gentleman 
or a lady, " Ich habe die Ehre," which, in 
plain English, means, " I have the honor." 
Two of our party, being thoroughly versed 
in the German tongue, thus politely com- 
mended themselves to the ladies, who at 
once became considerably confused at 
learning that their harsh criticism of us 
and our pet language had been distinctly 
understood. However, we quote this in- 
cident to show what a hard time President 
Grant will have in persuading these 



stiS-uecked people that they should teach 
their children the English language and 
blot out their mother tongue. Notwith- 
standing, it is be}' ond doubt that the Eng- 
lish language is being very extensively 
taught to the rising generation here, as 
it is more common to find Gorman children 
who speak English than it is to find native 
grown persons who can do so. English 
governesses are in great demand among 
the educated and wealthy classes, and it 
will be remembered that the Emperor of 
Russia, who is about to marry his only 
daughter to one of the English princes, 
issued an order that "the American" lan- 
guage be taught in all the government 
institutions of learning in his empire. 

Reichenhall, Bavaria, June 25, 1873. 

A mountain ride. 
We started out at an early hour this 
morning for a carriage-drive among the Ba- 
varian mountains, and a visit to the famous 
Konigs-See, or King's Sea, as well as to the 
equally wonderful salt-mines at Berchtes- 
gaden, Avhich are about fifteen miles from 
Reichenhall. The whole day, until nine 
o'clock in the evening, was consumed in 
this excursion, which abounded in in- 
terest. The journey was through a series 
of lofty mountains, many of them six 
thousand feet high, and some of them 
attaining the altitude of nine thousand 
feet, the summits of the latter being cov- 
ered with snow, which Avas glittering 
in the bright sunshine. The reader will 
please to understand that these mountains, 
through which our excursion carried us, 
average one mile in height, and one of 
them a mile and a half, or that they are 
from sixty to ninety times higher than the 
AVashington Monument, many of them 
being bold precipices, and also that the 
turnpike traverses a narrow gorge, oc- 
casionally spreading out into little valleys, 
dotted with the cottages and gardens of 
the Bavarian mountaineers. The scenery 
at all points is bold and picturesque, 
most of the mountains being covered on 
the slopes with dense forests of pine. 
The day was bright and beautiful, and 
the fresh mountain breeze tempered the 
rays of the sun, so that the heat was very 
seldom oppressive. By the side of the 
turnpike rushed the swift and clear waters 
of the river Aim, which flows from the 
Konigs-See, dashing over their white, 
pebbly bed, and occasionally forced 
through rocky gorges reminding one of 
the Via Mala on a small scale. There 
were also on our route small villages, and 
numerous saw-mills, at which the pine 



106 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



forests are converted into lumber, — all 
calculated to render more picturesque 
the beauties of" nature by which our eyes 
were regaled. 

THE " KONIGS-SEE." 

We reached the Konigs-See (King's 
Sea), or Lake of Bartholomew, about one 
o'clock, and were astonished to find from 
sixty to seventy carriage-loads of people 
had preceded us on a visit to this famous 
mountain sea, which is said to be at 
times as turbulent as the Atlantic Ocean. 
A small village, with restaurants, is lo- 
cated at its western end, and here are the 
boats for excursions on the lake, rowed 
by Tyrolese peasant girls dressed in their 
national costume, who ply the oar vrith 
great expertness. As the lake, although 
six miles long, winds around the bases 
of the lofty mountains, its surface is 
visible for only a short distance from the 
point of emijarkation, and every one who 
desires to see the whole of this most beau- 
tiful sheet of water in Germany, vying in 
grandeur with the lakes of Switzerland 
and Italy, must take a sail on it. We were 
not many minutes out of the carriage before 
we found ourselves seated in a long ba- 
teau, with three rowers, all of whom Avere 
seated in the stern of the boat. Like all 
bateaux, it was a shaky concern, and the 
slightest deviation of any of its passen- 
gers caused it to dip, which was anything 
but pleasant, in view of the fact that the 
water on which we were sailing was from 
three to six hundred feet deep, and that 
its mountain-sides were so precipitous 
that it would have been difficult for pas- 
sengers from a capsized boat to find a 
landing anywhere. 

When fairly out in the middle of the 
lake, which is about a mile and a half 
wide and six miles long, the scene is one 
of awful grandeur. In this respect it has 
scarcely its equal among the Italian and 
Swiss lakes. The mountains, which rise 
precipitously from its depths, some of them 
almost perpendicularly from the water's 
edge, to the height of nine thousand feet, 
seem almost to inspire a dread that some 
of their huge cliffs might come sliding 
down on your frail vessel. This feeling 
was increased when some parties in a 
boat just ahead of us fired a shot-gun, 
the report from which was not an echo, 
but was like a deep, long, rolling clap of 
thunder, just such as sometimes startles 
our citizehs during a spring thunder- 
storm. It seemed to rattle around among 
all the mountains which towered up over 
our heads, and could not be distinguished 



from a sharp crashing thunder-bolt. Im- 
mediately following this experiment, three 
more shots were fired in quick succession, 
and the echo was really terrific. It would 
be a curious experiment to fire a ten- 
pounder and listen to its reverberation. 
There is but one point on the whole lake 
where this curious phenomenon occurs. A 
gun fired anywhere else awakens but a 
moderate echo, but here all tourists gener- 
ally explode their pistols, and some of the 
enthusiastic sight-seeing Germans often 
bring their shot-guns all the way from 
home to use them thus on the Konig-See. 
To us the reverberation was unexpected, 
having never heard it described, and we 
assure the reader that we have not ex- 
perienced any crash of thunder for years 
that was more startling and terrific than 
the echo of this puny shot-gun. It seemed 
almost as if the mountains were cracking 
over our heads, and as if we might mo- 
mentarily expect an avalanche of rocks. 

The promontory of St. Bartholomew, 
about the middle of the sea, has a res- 
taurant and shady retreat, on which there 
are also a royal hunting chateau, and an 
ancient chapel, to which pilgrimages are 
made on St. Bartholomew's day. At the 
eastern end of the sea, on a small island, 
a prominent rock, surmounted by a cross, 
commemorates the wreck of a boat con- 
taining a large party of pilgrims, and the 
loss of many lives. There are also caverns 
and other attractions at which the boats 
stop, but they are of minor interest, and 
not worthy of more than a mention. 
Many tourists spend an entire week ex- 
ploring the suiTOundings of the sea. and 
to those who are fond of mountain-climb- 
ing it well repays them for the fatigue. 
Artists and naturalists are especially de- 
lighted with a week's sojourn at St. Bar- 
tholomew. 

The sea was dotted with boats contain- 
ing tourists of various nationalities ; and 
this is the case throughout the traveling 
season. Every train that arrives at Rei- 
chenhall brings a new supply of sight- 
seers, independently of those who come to 
enjoy the salt baths and drink the wine- 
whey. What with the salt business, the 
baths, and the mountain sights, it has 
grown to be a most beautiful and attract- 
ive town. 

THE BERCHTESGADEN SALT-MINES. 

On our way back from the Konigs-See 
we proceeded to Berchtesgaden to explore 
the famous salt-mines, or rather salt 
mountain, of the Bavarian government, 
and reached there about four o'clock in 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



107 



the afternoon, after a very pleasant drive. 
As a regular business is made of exhibit- 
ing this mine by the government, from 
which a large revenue accrues, we ex- 
perienced no difficulty or delay in enter- 
ing it. 

Twice a day, at eleven o'clock in the 
morning and at live o'clock iu the after- 
noon, general excursions are made into the 
mines, at which time there are a large num- 
ber who present themselves, generally 
not less than fifty, the price then being 
but forty kreutzers. Special parties in 
charge of guides are, however, entering at 
all hours, the charge for them being about 
forty kreutzers each, which in Bavarian 
currency is about equal to fifty-five cents 
of our money. We entered about four 
o'clock in the afternoon, there being but 
six in the party, including three ladies, 
and we had an excellent opportunity to 
view its wonders. 

In order that the reader may have some 
idea of these mines, we will state that 
they are situated in the bowels of a moun- 
tain some three thousand feet high, and 
their existence was first surmised from 
the springs of brine that flowed from its 
sides. A shaft was then opened, which 
ran on an inclined plane for several hun- 
dred feet through the rock before the salt 
rock appears to have been struck ; and, 
judging from appearances, although over 
one hundred miners have been working in 
it for several hundred years, the supply is 
inexhaustible. From the lowest depth to 
which it has been mined a shaft has been 
dug, which now penetrates down one 
hundred and twenty-five feet farther, and 
is still being pushed deeper to ascertain 
to what depth the salt exists. There is 
just such a mountain of salt in San Do- 
mingo, but the product appears to be 
much richer than this, whilst it crops out 
of all sides of the mountain in pure crys- 
tal salt. The San Domingo mountain 
is also three times as large, and could be 
made to supply the world with salt. The 
yield of salt from the Berchtesgaden mine 
is now five hundred thousand barrels per 
annum, each containing one hundred 
pounds. 

DRESSING FOR THE TRIP. 

The entrance to the mines is on a level 
with a slight ascent through a granite 
arch about five feet wide, and is perfectly 
dry, with a tramway down the centre, the 
floor being smoothly boarded. Before 
entering, however, we were all provided 
with coarse woolen miners' dresses, the 
ladies having to remove their outer skirts 



and don the pantaloons, over which a 
half-skirt woolen coat, extending to the 
knees, was furnished them to wear, the 
funny little woolen caps, with white 
bands, which completed the outfit, giving 
the appearance of the bloomer costume 
worn by Mrs. Dr. Walker. The men 
were transformed into miners, with rough 
felt hats, and a strap buckled around the 
waist, with miners' lamps hung on in 
front, and a leathern apron behind, the 
object of which we found was to prevent 
our setting fire to each other's clothing as 
we marched in single file through the nar- 
row passages. The arrangements Avere so 
formidable that two of the ladies of our 
party declined to join us, only the youngest 
one having the required pluck for the occa- 
sion. Apartments in a building adjoining 
the mine were provided as dressing-rooms 
for the visitors, and when they emerged 
they were so thoroughly transformed as 
to be scarcely able to recognize each other. 

ENTRANCE TO THE MINES. 

We started immediately, following three 
guides, and passed through the long, nar- 
row passages, which for the first five hun- 
dred feet were elegantly walled with 
granite, before we came to any signs of 
salt. When the granite walls ceased the 
same passage continued on through the 
crystal salt, which is so solid as to, need 
no walling. Sometimes we passed up 
granite steps, and again down, there being 
no evidence of dampness or Avater. Each 
one of the party, and the three miners, 
having wax candles, we had abundance 
of light whilst passing through these 
passages, and, although quite chilly on 
entering, we soon became pleasantly 
warm. We stopped occasionally to ex- 
amine the salt deposits, and traveled on 
for fully twenty minutes, passing various 
passages, branching off from the one 
through which we moved, and leading to 
other parts of the mine in which the 
actual work of mining is in progress, 
the part which is opened to visitors being 
evidently one in which active operations 
have been suspended for the visiting 
season. 

THE SALT LAKE. 

Whilst following our leaders through 
the narrow passages we suddenly emerged 
into an immense chamber, and were 
startled by the scene presented. We 
scarcely know how to describe the salt 
lake, or reservoir, hewn out in the centre 
of this mountain. It was brilliantly il- 
luminated by over two hundred lamps 
arranged around the gallery which sur- 



108 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



rounds the lake, and, as each lamp was 
reflected in the Avater, there appeared to 
be double the number. The cave itself 
is about three hundred feet long by one 
hundred in width, and a gallery with a 
railing surrounds the entire excavation 
for the lake. The ceiling is of solid rock 
salt, about twenty feet above the level of 
the lake, and has no supports, and, of 
course, needs none ; but when we reflected 
that some thousand feet of mountain, 
clothed with pines, were suspended over 
our heads, we felt as if it was not a very 
desirable place to remain in for any 
length of fime. A boat was moored to 
the shore of the lake, and in this we were 
invited by our guides to take seats, and 
were soon being rowed towards the op- 
posite end, where we were landed on a 
platform and shown the manner in which 
the fresh water is percolated through 
masses of crystal salt and collected in 
this lake, and then allowed, as it rises 
beyond a certain level, to flow off through 
iron pipes to the several boiling-houses, 
some of which are near the mine, and 
others many miles ofi", as are those at 
Reichenhall. The water in the lake is 
ten feet deep, and is always kept at this 
level. We tasted the water as we passed 
over in the boat, and it was so sharp with 
salt as to seem like the pure article itself. 
This lake has been formed in one of the 
old excavations of the mine, which, being 
above the level of the surrounding coun- 
try, gives a natural flow for the brine 
through the pipes, though it has to be 
forced over the mountains from the first 
outside reservoir by hydraulic process. 
We were informed that the yield of salt 
from this water was twenty-seven per 
cent., — in other words, that over one- 
fourth of the contents of this vast reser- 
voir was pure salt. 

RIDING ON A RAIL. 

After passing up a flight of stairs from 
the head of the lake, we came to a point 
where it was necessary for us all to take 
seats on a board slide at an angle of 
fortj^-five degrees, and make a descent of 
about eighty feet, sliding down with a 
miner in front of each party of three, 
who regulated our speed by a guide-rope, 
which he allowed to pass rapidly through 
a heavily-gloved hand. It then became 
apparent why we were furnished with 
miners' clothing, as well as for what pur- 
pose the pantaloons and bloomer dresses 
with which the ladies were provided were 
intended. It M'as a rapid journey, but 
the skill of the miner landed us on our 



feet at the bottom without a pierceptible 
jar. After going through a long pas- 
sage we were then led on to the gallery 
of another immense cave, perfectly dry. 
The gallery which surrounded it was 
hewn out of the rock, and provided with 
a railing. The ceiling above the point at 
which we were standing was about twenty 
feet high, whilst looking down from the 
gallery the bottom of the excavation was 
about one hundred feet below us. The 
cave was about one hundred feet wide on 
each side of us, and was feebly lighted 
by miners' lamps stationed at various 
points on the bottom and along the gal- 
leries. As we passed around the gallery 
we entered a side chamber, about as 
large as the counting-room of The Amer- 
ican office, in which some miners were 
busily at work cutting out the rock salt 
with picks and chisels and drilling fcir 
the insertion of blasts, each having 
a miner's lamp to light him at his 
work. The temperature was very pleas- 
ant, and the air very pure ; though it ap- 
peared to be a gloomy spot in which a 
human being should be required to spend 
the daylight of his life, only emerging 
from it when night is approaching. 
These workmen were doubtless here 
merely to show visitors the process of ex- 
cavation, as we did not enter those por- 
tions of the mine in which the hundred 
and twenty-five miners were said to be at 
work. 

On returning to the cave we followed 
our guides around the gallery until we 
came to another point where a sllding- 
board was erected, down which we all 
slid the hundred feet intervening be- 
tween us and the bottom of the cave. It 
was a pretty strong test of the nerves, of 
the ladies especially, but, as there was no 
escaping the ordeal, they all submitted 
quietly. We reached the bottom as 
safely and smoothly as on our previous 
descent, and, after walking around and ex- 
amining the crystal walls, reascended by 
an inclined plane used for hauling the rock 
salt out of the cave. Another party were 
about making the descent on the sliding- 
board, with whom were several ladies, 
and, as they were merry and noisy, their 
laughter and loud exclamations echoed 
throughout the cave with a ringing sound. 
I must not forget to mention here that 
we were shown a shaft for ventilation 
through the bottom of this cave, which 
we were assured passed down one hun- 
dred and forty-five feet through the salt 
rock, and the bottom of the deposit had 
not yet been reached. 



I 



I 



AMEBIC AN SPECTACLES. 



109 



THE MOUNTAIN MUSEUM. 

After reaching the gallery our guides 
led us through a long passage, hewn 
out of the rock salt, until we came to the 
small illuminated chamber, in which was 
displayed a collection of minerals dug 
out of the mines at different times. They 
were so arranged as to be illuminated by 
the lamp?, and the specimens of pure 
crystal salt were similarly illuminated. 
At the extremity of the chamber was a 
broad slab of salt, on which were carved 
the insignia of the king, and which was 
brilliantly illuminated by lamps suspen- 
ded behind it. In front of this tablet 
there was a little basin, with a fountain 
in the centre of it, throwing up sprays of 
salt water, which we all tasted, and it 
seemed almost like liquid salt. After ad- 
miring the minerals and the peculiar 
novelty of this scene in the very bowels 
of the earth, we were invited to take 
heats on small cars, which were waiting 
at the entrance to the chamber, each of 
which was in charge of one of our guides, 
who had control of the brakes. We 
moved along on the tramway at first 
slowly, but as we progressed through the 
narrow passages it was evident that we 
were going down grade, as the speed 
gradually increased, until we dashed along 
and turned curves at railroad speed, and, 
considering that the salt wall on either 
side of us was but about a foot distant, 
the prospect of getting off the track was 
not very promising for whole bones. All 
our lamps, with the exception of the one 
in charge of the guide, were soon extin- 
guished by the " rapid speed," and when 
we could perceive a long way ahead of us 
a glimmering of daylight, giving the as- 
surance that there were no more curves 
to turn, the sensation became rather 
pleasing. On we dashed, however, until 
we suddenly flew out into the open air 
and were safely landed in front of the re- 
tiring-rooms, where a crowd of some fifty 
visitors, arrayed in miners' garb, includ- 
ing a number of ladies, were in readi- 
ness to enter. 

As we had no conception of what was 
to be seen on the inside, Baedeker being 
very brief on the subject, the visit was 
altogether a very satisfactory one. We 
hope the reader will be able, from our 
description of what we saw, to see some- 
thing of it also ; but should he ever 
travel between Munich and Vienna, we 
would advise him to switch off at Salz- 
burg and take a run down, or rather up, 
to the Konigs-See and Berchtesgaden. 



MUNICH. 

Munich, July 27, 1873. 
We have now been in Munich, the cap- 
ital of Bavaria, for two days, and have 
commenced our exploration of this beau- 
tiful and attractive city. It has a popu- 
lation of about two hundred thousand, 
and is chiefly Catholic, the Protestants 
numbering about twenty thousand. To 
those who delight in works of art, both 
ancient and modern, Munich will always 
present great attractions, though the cli- 
mate is said to be unhealthy to strangers, 
on account of the sudden changes of 
temperature. It is the cheapest city in 
Europe in which to live, and in many re- 
spects is one of the most pleasant. 

THE CITY OF MUNICH. 

Munich is a very beautiful city, and 
one in which Americans greatly delight 
to linger. Like all the German cities, it 
had in the olden times walls and moats 
and fortifications on its suburbs. These 
ancient necessities for protection being no 
longer required, and the city having out- 
grown its granite restrictions, they have 
been all removed, leaving a broad space, 
something like the Ringstrasse of Vienna, 
between the old and the new Munich, 
but too wide and irregular for any exten- 
sive ornamentation. This space has been 
laid out in public squares and prom- 
enades and broad avenues, which form 
fine breathing-places for the people close 
to their own doors. Munich has not yet, 
however, become sufficiently modernized 
to permit tlie construction of city rail- 
ways, and the old lumbering omnibus is 
the only mode of conveyance from one 
section of the city to another for the mass 
of the people. The new sections of tho 
city are laid out in broad, straight ave- 
nues, and the buildings are large, and 
many of them elegant in architectural 
design. There is a greater variety of 
architectural display in the public build- 
ings of Munich than in those of Vienna, 
but the private and business structures 
are not so elegant and elaborate. 

THE PEOPLE OF MUNICH. 

There is little or no similarity between 
the habits and temperament of the people 
of Munich and those of the Viennese. The 
former are more of the North German 
type, and are less volatile and visionary 
than their neighbors of Vienna. The 
streets of Munich, from daylight in the 
morning, show that the people of all 
classes are stirring, and the coffee-houses 



110 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



are crowded with visitors an hour before 
they are thoroughly opened in Vienna. 
The coffee-houses in the latter city are 
filled with loungers all day, who sit and sip 
their coffee and talk and read the papers. 
It is a matter of wonder to even the old 
Viennese who and what all these people 
are, where they come from, and, above 
all, where they obtain the means to secure 
good clothing and pay their reckoning. 
Here in Munich there are comparatively 
no coffee-house loungers. They come at an 
early hour for their coffee, and move off as 
soon as it is disposed of Except at the reg- 
ular German hours for coffee, there are but 
few visitors at the cafes. In short, Munich 
is a city noted for the active, stirring 
business-habits of its people. They deal 
but little in lotteries and stock-gambling, 
and when they grow rich, they do so by 
the slow old-fashioned process, which is 
more stable and enduring. The paper 
money of Bavaria means gold and silver, 
whilst that of Austria is very much in 
the same condition as our own. Whilst 
there is so much vice and immorality in 
Vienna, only two hundred miles distant, 
Munich is distinguished for its compara- 
tive freedom from such excesses. The 
ladies here are much more delicate and 
refined in their appearance and manner, 
and, although they dress with as much 
elegance, do not go into such extremes as 
those of Vienna. They do not trail their 
skirts through the streets ; indeed, their 
dresses are seldom to be seen even touch- 
ing the pavements ; nor do they startle 
the eye with low-necked dresses, or fol- 
low any of the other extremes of their 
Austrian sisters. 

SOLDIERING IN BAVARIA. 

Bavaria is as much afflicted by the sol- 
dier as the more pretentious governments 
of Europe. A standing army of one hun- 
dred thousand men is kept by this little 
kingdom, which does not comprise ten 
thousand square miles, a considerable 
portion of which is mountainous and un- 
productive land. Although still inde- 
pendent, it is controlled by Prussia, and 
the northern part is intensely antagonis- 
tic to Austria. It joined Prussia in the 
war against Austria, and it is said to 
have declared war against France some 
half-hour before Bismark had placed 
Prussia in a hostile attitude. On the 
streets of Munich the soldier is to be 
seen at every turn, though most of the 
army, by the direction of Bismark, is 
kept close to the Austrian border. The 
officers are dressed with great elegance, 



and wear on their breasts the orders with 
which they have been decorated for bra- 
very in the late war. The privates are 
short, thick, broad-shouldered men, and 
are charged with having been the most 
brave, as well as vindictive and oppress- 
ive, of all the invading army within the 
borders of France. The young men are 
compelled to serve three years in the 
regular army, and thus the drilling of 
new recruits is in constant progress, and 
the tap of the drum or military music, 
accompanying squads and regiments to 
and from the parade-ground, is hourly 
heard on the streets. The American, 
whose children are free from the necessity 
of this military service and training, can- 
not witness the scene without a feeling 
of commiseration, and of gratitude that 
his lot is cast far away from the dominion 
of kings and emperors and queens and 
nobles. 

THE KING OF BAVARIA. 

Bavaria has an oddity for a king, who 
spends most of his time in seclusion at 
one of his palaces in the mountains. He 
is the grandson of the old King of Ba- 
varia, who, it will be remembered, ran 
crazy after the danseuse Lola Montez, 
took her into his palace, allowed her to 
control the destinies of the country, and 
finally made her Countess of Lansfeld. 
The people stood it until forbearance 
ceased to be a virtue, and then drove her 
out of the country. The present King 
Ludwig ascended the throne when he 
was only sixteen years of age, and is 
now but twenty-four; and if all the 
stories about him are true, he is as queer 
a specimen of royalty as has existed 
during the present generation. He is 
still single, and has the reputation of 
being scrupulously virtuous, having a 
dislike for the whole female sex. He 
does not allow any one to see him when 
he can help it ; and, though he seeks 
amusements of various kinds, he endeav- 
ors to enjoy them in solitude, expressing 
anger and dissatisfaction if anybody in- 
trudes upon him. The only man who 
ever had any influence over him was 
Wagner, the great musical composer, 
who at one time so completely controlled 
all his actions that he was compelled by 
the people to leave. The king's engagement 
to marry a princess is said to have been sud- 
denly broken off because she persisted in 
refusing to express admiration for Wag- 
ner's music. Among his freaks was the 
construction of a lake on the top of his 
palace, in which he sails about in a boat 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



Ill 



for recreation, and catches fish. A few 
years since he took a notion that he wanted 
to see a representation of an eruption of 
Mount Vesuvius, and immediately ordered 
the court pyrotechnist to proceed, regard- 
less of cost, to produce such a spectacle 
on a mountain, near his secluded pal- 
ace. He complied with the order, but the 
representation was not satisfacto^3^ The 
court pyrotechnist at Vienna was then 
sent for, and he made extensive prepara- 
tions, and gave entire satisfaction, and 
had an order for its repetition, the king 
thinking that he had been and would be 
the only spectator. He, however, heard 
that the villagers had assembled at the 
foot of the mountain, and had witnessed 
the spectacle also. On hearing this he 
countermanded the order for its repeti- 
tion, sent the pyrotechnist home, and, 
summoning the burgomaster of the village 
before him, severely rated him for allow- 
ing the people to approach the mountain. 
During the reign of Wagner he ordered 
a new opera he had written to be produced 
at the opera-house regardless of expense, 
and on the night of its production took a 
seat in the royal box, and directed all the 
doors to be closed and locked, and the 
performance to proceed, with only himself 
as the audience. 

King Ludwig is, however, harmless in 
his vagaries, and, as the country is pros- 
perous, and he has proved himself a 
thorough German, the people rather 
laugh than fi'own at his peculiarities. 
Although professing to be a Catholic, he 
utterly refuses to join in the Corpus 
Christi and other Church celebrations 
and processions, as his predecessors have 
done for hundreds of years, and as is now 
done by the Emperor of Austria. He, 
however, took the lead for German unity, 
proclaimed war against France before 
Prussia took decided action, and has a 
strong hold on the hearts of the people. 
He is regarded by some as a misanthrope, 
and by others as somewhat of an imbe- 
cile. The Bavarian army is by treaty 
under the command of the Emperor Wil- 
liam during times of war, and in peace it 
is the plaything of the king. 

King Ludwig I., the grandfather of the 
present king, and who died in 1868, was 
greatly beloved by his people, and it is 
the respect they bear his memory Avhich 
makes them patient with the follies of his 
grandson. The latter came to the throne 
before he had completed his education, 
and was at first a mere willful, head- 
strong boy, but has since developed into 
his present condition. It will be remem- 



bered that the Bavarian troops were led 
in the Franco-Prussian war by the Crown 
Prince of Prussia, and to their bravery 
and dash many of the decisive strokes 
of the war were attributed. Recently, 
when the Crown Prince visited Munich, 
he was received by the people and the 
military with great enthusiasm and hon- 
ors. At the opera-house when he ap- 
peared the performance was suspended, 
and so demonstrative were the people 
that it was impossible to resume it. The 
king became indignant, and, refusing to 
see the prince, retired to his mountain 
chateau, and remained for some time in 
strict retirement, scolding every one who 
came near him for having extended such 
honors to the Prince of Prussia. As the 
whole destiny of the country is in the 
hands of Bismark, it matters little who 
or what the king may be, as he is merely 
a gilded puppet, with no power to do 
much harm even if he had the will. 
King Ludwig is regarded as devoted to 
the honor and glory of Germany, and, 
being the grandson of the much-beloved 
King Ludwig I., — to whom Munich is in- 
debted for her great progress in science 
and art, he having made it, in the treasures 
of painting, sculpture, and architecture, 
one of the richest cities in Germany, — 
he is, notwithstanding his peculiarities, 
a great favorite with the people. Before 
his accession to the throne, Ludwig I. was 
a munificent patron of art, and during 
his reign he almost created the present 
Munich ; and his grandson is also a 
munificent patron of modern art. 

HEIDELBERG DUELING. 

There are always to be seen in Munich 
parties of German students from Heidel- 
berg, especially on Saturdays, when they 
come here to spend their Sundays, though 
there are more here now than usual, on 
account of the vacation. They are a frol- 
icsome set of fellows, always seeking a 
quarrel, especially with those who they 
think will fall easy victims to their prow- 
ess. They wear dark cloth caps, with a 
Avhite, red, or yellow band, and swagger 
about as if they were a superior class of 
human beings. The young Hotspurs of 
the South, of the Rhett school, who are 
always thirsting for human blood, ought 
to be sent to Heidelberg, where they 
could have full opportunity for studying 
and practically learning the rules of the 
duello. A Heidelberg student of three 
years' standing who has not his face 
slashed and scarred with sword-cuts is 
regarded as a poltroon, unless he has the 



112 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



proud record of having done his share in 
slashing and cutting the faces of one or 
more of his fellow-students. The proudest 
man at the Munich Park last evening was 
a young student who wore three long 
strips of court-plaster on his face, one of 
them extending from the left eye down 
across the nose to the right side of his 
mouth. A throng of students were follow- 
ing him, and two, whom we judged to have 
been his seconds in the encounter, were 
hanging on his arms. He was evidently 
the lion of a recent conflict ; and later in 
the evening he came in, similarly attended, 
to a restaurant where we were taking 
supper and listening to a fine military 
band. They doubtless paid similar visits 
to all the public resorts in the city, to 
show off their gallant companion. 

GOVERNMENT PAWNBROKERAGE. 

In Munich, as well as throughout Aus- 
tria and Prussia, and also in Paris, the 
business of the pawnbroker is carried on 
by the government. We passed this 
morning an immense structure, with 
iron-grated windows, the sign over the 
principal entrance giving information as 
to the character of the business trans- 
acted within. A throng of females with 
bundles were passing in and out, either to 
place articles in pawn, or having redeemed 
those previously pledged for small sums 
of money. There is no doubt that this 
establishment is a great protection to 
the poor, who are constantly compelled, 
in their struggles for bread, to obtain 
temporary loans on their household goods. 
Government officers are in charge of all 
its departments, and printed rules and 
regulations are given to the applicants 
for relief, so that they know exactly how 
long their goods will remain, and when 
they will be sold at public auction if not 
redeemed. If they sell for more than the 
amount advanced upon them, they are no- 
tified to come forward and receive their 
money. No bid lower than the amount 
advanced to the owner is taken for any- 
thing that is put up for sale. About one- 
half of the value of the article is advanced 
upon it, and, as in all other establishments 
of the kind, much that is deposited is never 
redeemed. Whatever profits may arise 
from the business are devoted to the main- 
tenance of hospitals for the poor. 

Munich, July 28, 1873. 

We are still enjoying our German life 

in Munich as we did in Vienna, living as 

the people live, and like it much better 

than hotel life. We have, just at eleven 



o'clock P.M., returned from supper, hav- 
ing taken it in a garden, where for nine 
kreutzers' admission (six cents) we were 
enabled to listen while eating to an ex- 
cellent concert by a band of Tyrolese vo- 
calists. Last night, whilst taking the 
same meal, we enjoyed a concert in 
another garden by a full military band ; 
and this evening we propose to visit still 
another garden, whereanother of the great 
military bands of Munich will be in at- 
endance. All of these are within five 
minutes' walk of our hotel. At least 
one thousand persons take their evening 
meal at each of these gai'dens every even- 
ing, and there are dozens of them in all 
sections of the city similarly attended. 
The admission is a trifle, merely sufficient 
to pay for the music. 

Tourists who live in hotels know noth- 
ing of the people among whom they are 
journeying, and return home from their 
travels fully posted about painting-gal- 
leries and old churches, and castles, and 
monuments, and palaces, but know very 
little about the habits and customs of the 
people. 

BAVARIAN BEER-DRINKING. 

We intend this letter to be about 
nothing but beer, — Bavarian beer, — and 
the manner in which it is drunk by a 
people who would, as soon submit to be 
deprived or circumscribed in the use of 
the air they breathe as to be dictated to 
respecting the amount of beer they shall 
consume. This is a subject which is 
greatly misunderstood in the United 
States, and we have therefore paid more 
than ordinary attention to it in all the 
parts of Germany in which we have spent 
the past three months. Although not ac- 
customed to drink either malt or spiritu- 
ous liquors at home, we have seldom 
drunk water since we landed in Germany. 
We at home have the best and most 
palatable drinking-water in the world. 
Here it is all limestone water, excessively 
hard and unpalatable, and, to the stranger 
unaccustomed to it, is calculated to pro- 
duce diseases of the bowels. Everywhere 
the physicians say that it ought not to be 
drunk without either wine or sugar in it. 
Hence we have drunk beer, and drunk it 
freely, and are free to admit that, with- 
out having been accustomed to it from 
our cradle, as the Germans are, if we 
were to spend the balance of our lives in 
Germany we should continue to drink 
beer, and drink it to the almost total 
exclusion of the unpalatable and iceless 
drinking-water. Whether the beer in 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



113 



America is as good and pure and healthy 
as it is here is another question. Here 
its quality is regulated by the govern- 
ment breweries, or by the high standard 
maintained by the Pillsen breweries. An 
article under these standards would meet 
with no sale, and hence it is not made. 
The people, too, are all good judges of a 
good article, and the slightest deteriora- 
tion in quality would be instantly de- 
tected. 

THE ROYAL BRKWERV. 

We visited yesterday afternoon the 
royal brewery, an establishment man- 
aged for several hundred years back by 
the government, where a mug of beer, 
containing nearly three pints, or at least 
two pints and a half, equal to five mugs 
of the size sold in Baltimore, is furnished 
for eight kreutzers, or about five and a 
half cents. The government retails beer 
here at very little over the cost of manu- 
facture, and furnishes a better article 
than can be had from any of the private 
breweries about Munich. The size of the 
mug and its price are thus made universal 
by the government, as any innovation on 
the standard as to price and quantity as 
furnished by the government would cause 
a cessation of sale. All attempts made 
by the government to advance the price or 
reduce the size of the mug have produced 
such mutterings among the people that 
they have of necessity been abandoned. 
The Bavarian loves his beer, must have 
it good and pure, and is unwilling to pay 
more for a given quantity than his father 
and grandfather paid before him. A re- 
cent attempt at Frankfort to reduce the 
size of the glass caused a most serious 
revolt ; the troops were called out, men 
and women were shot down in the streets, 
and those arrested have been sentenced 
to penal servitude for a term of years. 
Any suggestion here to meddle with size 
or price has met with such demonstrations 
that it has been abandoned, and although 
the demand constantly increases at the 
royal brewery they do not increase the 
quantity manufiictured. That which was 
being sold to-day, as indicated by a notice 
in the tap-room, was jwrchased from pri- 
vate breweries, government stock having 
thus early in the season become exhausted. 
Almost any species of tyranny will bo sub- 
mitted to by the Bavarian, but if you 
touch his beer all the ferocity of his na- 
ture is aroused. 

THE COURT-YARD. 

In order that your readers may under- 
stand the scene we witnessed, it will be 



first necessary to give them some idea of 
the premises of the brewery. It is a 
long steep-roofed building with wings, 
apparently two or three centuries old, lo- 
cated in the heart of the city, and covering 
three or four acres of ground. The beer- 
drinkers enter it through the same paved 
court-yard that the beer wagons and malt 
carts enter, passing under an arch in the 
main building. On getting inside of the 
court-yard, a number of tables and seats, 
sufficient to accDmmodate about two hun- 
dred, are seen to be ranged along the wall 
to the right side of the entrance, under a 
long shed built against the wall of that 
wing of the brewery. Here, on the day of 
our visit, were seated all classes of people, 
including many ladies, if elegance of 
dress and refinement of manners form 
any criterion. Most of these Avere with 
their husbands, and they di-ank their beer 
just as they would when hungry eat their 
bread and meat. Most of those who had 
their wives with them, it is but proper to 
add, obtained but one of these large mugs, 
from which man and wife drank alter- 
nately until it was empty, and then left. 

We sat here about an hour, noticing the 
moving scene before us, desirous of giv- 
ing as accurate and correct a description 
as possible of what occurred. We also 
plead guilty of having during that hour 
consumed one of these immense mugs 
of beer, and, although unaccustomed to 
drinking inebriating fluids, we felt no 
more effect from it than we would had the 
fluid we imbibed been milk or water. If a 
person were to sit down and empty two or 
three of these mugs in succession, he 
might be intoxicated, and probably would 
be, but among the thousands here assem- 
bled there was not one that was even 
"merry over his cups," nor did we see any 
one who had on him any of the outward 
signs of a drunkard. Neither old nor 
young looked like men addicted to drink- 
ing. There were no bloated faces or be- 
sotted countenances, and if we except two 
or three old men and women with the tips 
of their noses rather highly colored, 
there was nothing among them to denote 
that they did not all belong to the cold- 
water army. 

THE TAP-ROOM. 

A door to the left of the court-yard led 
to the tap-room. Here was a ]>lain board 
counter across the room, and behind it 
two barrels of beer mounted on skids, 
with two men to attend to the spigots, 
which, Avhen once turned, are seldom 
stopped until the barrel is empty. At 



114 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



the other end of the room was a trough 
Avith running water, and a row of shelves 
with empty beei*-mugs upon them, just 
as they had been brought in from the 
tables, without being washed or cleaned. 
Any one ay ho desires a mug of beer must 
enter this room, take one of these mugs 
and wash and clean it himself, carry it to 
the counter, and hand it to one of the 
men at the spigots. On its being filled, it 
is handed back to him, when he pays his 
eight kreutzcrs and hunts a seat and table 
where he can sit down and enjoy it. 
There are no waiters of any kind about 
the place, except a few old women, who, 
in return for the privilege of selling 
radishes in the court-yard, are required 
to bring in the empty mugs and place 
them on the shelf in the tap-room. Here 
we saw well-dressed gentlemen and 
laboring people all on an equality, the 
ofiicer and the private soldier, the lady 
and the sewing-girl, not only sitting side 
by side and drinking their beer, but rinsing 
and Avashing their own mugs at the same 
trough. The prince and the beggar are 
hei-e on an equal footing, and good 
beer, better than can be had elsewhere, is 
served out to all alike ; pride or position can 
claim no special privileges after entering 
the court-yard of the royal brewery. 
There are also rooms on the lower floor 
of the left wing of the brewery building, 
provided with benches and tables suffi- 
cient for four or five hundred persons, 
which are used in winter or during 
rainy weather. 

A CASE IN POINT. 

Immediately in front of us we noticed 
a young couple, whom we supposed to be 
man and wife. The man vi'as as well dressed 
as either of us who were noting his move- 
ments, and his companion bire all the 
outward indications of refinement, and 
her countenance indicated extreme deli- 
cacy and modesty. They Avalked into 
the court-yard with the air of persons who 
had been there hundreds of times before. 
Having reached the tap-room door, he 
entered, and she waited outside until he 
had washed his mug, had it filled, and paid 
for it. On coming out she again took his 
arm, and they walked over the cobble-stone 

Eavement in search of a vacant seat, 
laving secured seats, they alternately 
sipped out of the same mug until it was 
empty, Avhen they retired arm-in-arm, 
as graceful and as pleasing to the eye as 
any young couple that may promenade 
on Charles Street this bright summer 
evening. The probability is that this 



young couple were reared on beer, — that 
it has been part of their daily nourishment 
from their cradles down to the present 
day. We frequently see whole families 
dining in the " restaurations," and the 
beer-mug is handed around to the youngest 
of the children. Even nursing infants 
are accustomed to drink it, and will stretch 
out their little hands in entreaty before 
their tongues have been taught to lisp 
the Avord " beer." 

THE innkeeper's COMMANDMENTS. 

Whilst traveling through the moun- 
tains of Bavaria we stopped to rest our 
horses at a Avayside inn, and on the top 
of one of the immense beei"-jugs was en- 
graved on the china the folloAving modest 
inscription, from Avhich it will be seen 
that the innkeeper holds himself in high 
esteem, Avhatever may be the opinion of 
others. 

" Ten Commandments of the Innkeeper: 

"1. Du sollsttaglich bei mir einkehren. 
(Thou shalt visit me daily.) 

'■ 2. Du soUst mich nur rufen um zu 
zahlen. (Thou shalt only call me to pay.) 

" 3. Du sollst keinen Ilund mitbringen. 
(Thou shalt bring no dog here.) 

"4. Du sollst mich ehren dass es dir 
gut gehe. (Thou shalt honor me that 
ttiou mayst prosper.) 

"5. Mache aus den Glasern keine Scher- 
ben. (Make no fragments of my glasses.) 

"G. Vergreif dich nicht an Frauen und 
Kellnerinnen. (Keep your hands ofi" my 
wife and Avaitresses.)- 

" 7. Nimmnichtsmitals einen Rausch. 
(Take nothing with thee but tipsiuess..) 

"8. Du sollst eher mehr als zu wenig 
zahlen. (Thou shalt rather pay too much 
than too little.) 

"9. Du sollst nur begehren was zu ha- 
ben. (Thou shalt demand only what is 
to be had.) 

" 10. Du sollst nie mit der Rechnung 
durchbrechen. (Thou shalt never abscond 
without paying.)" 

Another mug had the following inscrip- 
tion over a mug of beer, with pipes 
crossed, surrounded by playing-cards : 
" Bei Spiel und Bier schmeckt Pfeifchen 
mir." (When I play and drink beer the 
pipe tastes best.) 

Munich (Bavaeia), July 29, 1873. 
We have had several hot days, proba- 
bly as hot as you have them at home, but 
the evenings and nights in Germany are 
always cool and pleasant. We sleep un- 
der covering, with our windows closed, 
although the thermometer at noon is 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



115 



among the nineties. For sight-seeing, 
and wandering through galleries of 
paintings and sculpture and museums 
of antiquities, which are open only dur- 
ing the heat of the day, tlie weather is, 
however, decidedly unpropitious. These 
abound in Munich, and we find them 
all thronged with strangers, who have 
stopped here for a few days, going to or 
coming from Vienna. A party of some 
sixty Americans (Cook's excursionists) are 
stopping at our hotel and roaming among 
the galleries to-day. About half of 
them are ladies, and most of them are 
school-teachers, spending their vacation 
in a hasty tour of the Continent and a 
visit to the Expos-ition. The German 
papers express their surprise at school- 
teachers being able to make a tour of 
Europe, as they are a class who are so 
poorly paid in this country as to be al- 
most dependent on the charity of their 
scholars for their daily bread. 

MORE ABOUT BEER. 

It is difficult to pass a day in Munich 
without striking upon a new phase of the 
beer question, and it is equally difficult 
to write a letter without taking it as a 
text for at least one of the chapters. 
There is probably not a human being, 
from the infant in the cradle to the old 
man or woman tottering to the grave, 
who does not drink at least one litre of 
beer per diem, which is equal to four full 
glasses such as are sold in the beer-saloons 
of Baltimore. Most men and women 
drink two litres per diem, and some four, 
five, or six, and it must be understood that 
each litre, independently of the froth, rep- 
resents a full solid quart of beer. There 
are, besides the saloons and " restaura- 
tions," forty-three " kellers," or brew- 
eries, in Munich, where the people assem- 
ble a.s in mass-meeting, and drink these 
huge litres of beer. At these places there 
are no waiters, everybody being com- 
pelled to wash his mug and wait upon 
himself. 

Let the reader imagine forty-three 
Schiitzenfests, similar to those we some- 
times have in Baltimore, all in daily 
progress, and some idea can be formed 
of everyday life in Munich. At these 
kellers all classes of people, with their 
wives, daughters, and sons, young men 
with their sweethearts, and children in 
arms, are among the visitors. Beer is part 
of the daily food of every one, and is 
drunk at the breweries and gardens be- 
cause it is always cold and fresh there. 
At every one of these places a barrel is 



emptied every few minutes from sunrise 
to sunset, and stale beer is consequently 
an impossibility. When the Germans 
drink it at home they send their servants 
with their glasses to the kellers, and have 
it always fresh and good. 

Whisky, brandy, gin, or any other 
intoxicating liquor, is not known in 
Munich. Brandy can only be had at the 
apothecary-shops on a physician's pre- 
scription. If brandy or whisky were 
called for at any of the restaurants, there 
would be as much surprise as if laudanum 
had been demanded. Beer is part of the 
daily food, and it is called for and drunk 
with as much innocence of any idea of 
intoxication as if a cup of tea or coffee 
was being partaken of. Sometimes a man 
who has drunk too much beer will fiiU 
asleep, but intoxication is entirely un- 
known. The workingmen drink a litre 
of beer at dinner-time, and another at 
supper, but seldom go beyond this, except 
on Sunday, when they have nothing else 
to do. Being accustomed to it, the effect 
on them may produce drowsiness, but 
never drunkenness. 

We were called upon last evening by 
Professor Rothmund, of Munich, who de- 
sired ixs to accompany him to one of the 
kellers in the western section of the city, 
to see Munich life as it really is. We 
reached there about eight o'clock, and, 
although there were seats and tables for 
fully two thousand persons, it was Avith 
difficulty we could find room in any part 
of the grounds. It was in a section of 
the city"whei-e the laboring people reside 
almost exclusively. Nothing could be 
had here but beer, bread, cheese, and rad- 
ishes, and all that vast mass of people 
were sitting together, with their wives 
and children, partaking of this simple 
food, to the great majority of whom it 
was their only supper. We remained 
until nearly ten o'clock, at which time 
the company had thinned down more 
than one-half, and during the two hours 
we heard not a loud word spoken, nor 
anything said at one table so loud as to 
be heard at another. Everybody had 
to wait upon himself and wash his 
own mug, and sometimes the throng at 
the windows of the tap-room was five 
or six deep. The tables were closely 
packed together, each being about sixteen 
feet long, with plain wooden benches of 
the same length, and just room left be- 
tween them to pass in or out. All classes 
of people were here mingled together, and 
we observed at some of the tables peo- 
ple who bore all the outward evidences 



116 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



of being of the very best class in Munich. 
There were a number of carriages waiting 
to take home parties Avho had come here 
to spend the evening. We got into con- 
versation with a German lady at the table 
at which we were sitting, who we found 
could speak some English. She was sur- 
prised — almost shocked — at one of the 
ladies of our party refusing to drink beer, 
and laughed heartily as she saw her drink- 
in"; water from a brown beer-mug, the 
only drinking-vessel we could find. She 
told us that she and her hu.'Jband made 
a practice of visiting this keller every 
clear evening, and that it was always 
precisely as we found it, and equally 
thronged. The only question ever asked 
as to a place was as to the quality of its 
beer. AH were served alike and treated 
alike, whether prince or peasant, laborer 
or mendicant, and all were expected to 
behave themselves alike. There were no 
police-officers in attendance, and none 
were required. Both this lady and her 
husband (he proved to be a clergyman, 
and she the sister of the Chief Justice of 
Bavaria) made many inquiries as to the 
beer question in America, both of them 
persisting in regarding beer as an 
essential and necessary article of food. 
They contended that it was also healthy, 
much more so than coffee ; and, although 
they admitted that some persons injured 
themselves by drinking too much of it, 
they insisted that they should be classed 
among the gluttons, who were still more 
numerous, and injured their health by 
eating too much. To drink beer to per- 
sonal injury they regarded as a long and 
arduous undertaking, requiring so much 
time and so much beer that few ever suc- 
ceeded in it. 

MATRIMONIAL CUSTOMS. 

It may be an interesting item of news 
to some of your lady readers to notice the 
fact that on every Monday morning a list 
of all the engagements for marriage that 
have taken place during the preceding 
week is published in the morning p-a- 
pers. They proceed to state that "John 
Schmidt, son of Tomas and Marie 
Schmidt, has entered into a contract for 
marriage to Fraulein Katherine Von 
Jones, second daughter of Josef and Emile 
Von Jones, and that all the papers have 
been signed and approved by the parents 
of both contracting parties." How would 
our ladies like this formality of proceed- 
ing, which virtually cuts them off from 
the society of all gentlemen except that of 
the afBanced one ? He is allowed to spend 



only one evening a week with her, in the 
company of father and mother until the 
ceremony is performed. How would our 
youthful Benedicts like this, especially 
as they are not expected to give much time 
to their lady friends after the publication 
of this formal announcement? 

THE CHURCHES OF MUNICH. 

There are no old Gothic cathedrals in 
Munich to compare with those of Vienna, 
Strasburg, and Cologne, but yet there 
are several whose external peculiarity 
of style, and internal magnificence of 
proportions and dazzling pomp of orna- 
ment, are well calculated to interest and ■] 
attract the lover of art and things that are "' 
ancient. The Church of Our Lady is an 
immense structure, being three hundred 
and forty-six feet long, one hundred and 
twenty-eight wide, and in height to the 
top of the roof two hundred and thirty 
feet. The two towers are three hundred 
and eighty-six feet high. It was built in 
1408, over four hundred years ago, and 
is constructed of hard-burned brick, with 
liut little interior or exterior ornament. 
It has twenty different altars, all orna- 
mented with statuary, carving, and paint- 
ings. Most of the churches, of which 
there are about a dozen, were erected 
during the present or towards the close of 
the last century, and, although all are 
worthy of a visit, we imagine that a de- 
scription of thcin would not prove of 
much interest to the reader. The churches 
built by King Ludwig the First surpass 
in completeness of execution any others 
built in Europe during this century. The 
magnificent Basilica of St. Boniface, the 
beautiful Gothic church of Our Lady of 
Succor, with its exquisite stained-glass 
windows, the Church of All Saints, which 
is wonderfully and richly decorated, and 
the Church of St. Louis, Avith the splendid 
picture of the Last Judgment, by Corne- 
lius, are, however, more to our taste, and 
have the merit of having been built by 
those who woi'ship in them. 

THE ART-GALLERIES. 

We have visited nearly all the great 
art-galleries of INIunich, which are very 
numerous and rich in their collections 
of paintings, statuary, and antiquities. 
These structures are themselves among 
the finest specimens in Europe of the |j 
leading styles of architecture, which are || 
represented by perfect examples with 
their appropriate decorations, thus mate- 
rially facilitating the study of the art. The 
city is indebted for these advantages to 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



117 



King Ludwig I., who died in 1868, who 
everTprevious to his accession to the throne 
was a munificent patron of art. We 
have visited the Old Pinakothek and the 
New Pinakothek, the former a reposi- 
tory of pictures by the old masters, and 
the latter exclusively for the productions 
of modern artists. They are both very 
large and grand collections, and it is 
needless to say to the readers of these 
letters that the modern gallery com- 
manded most of our attention. We 
visited them both on the same day, and 
there were ten .visitors enjoying the mod- 
ern paintings for one who was roaming 
among, the ancients. We liked them bet- 
ter than the pictures of Rubens, Vandyke, 
Murillo, Titian, Guercino, Raphael, and 
Correggio, and the other great masters of 
past ages which adorn the walls of the Old 
Pinakothek. They are very interesting 
as specimens of what the ancients could 
do. The Glyptothek, with its fine collec- 
tion of ancient and modern sculpture, is 
another of these great art-galleries erected 
during the past twenty years by King 
Ludwig I., as well as the gallery for the 
exhibition of modern works of art, and 
the magnificent Gate of the Propylseon, 
which rears its massive columns between 
them. These are, however, matters for 
the eye, and cannot be described. If any 
of your readers desire to know what they 
are, and what they contain, they must 
come and see them ; only we would advise 
that they take a cooler season of the year 
for the laborious task than we have se- 
lected. 

Munich, July 30, 1873. 

THE YANKEE SCHOOL-TEACHERS. 

Quite a sensation was created in Mu- 
nich yesterday by the arrival of Cook, 
the great European traveling-agent, with 
a party of American tourists, consisting 
of thirty-three Yankee school-teachers, 
about one-third of them ladies. They 
took quarters at our hotel, " The Belle- 
vue," and the first intimation we had of 
their presence was the appearance of a 
large number of people in the corridors 
who really seemed to be enjoying them- 
selves, and laughed and talked like a 
parcel of children going on a picnic- 
party. A little observation discovered 
them to be Americans, and on inquiry 
we learned that they were the veritable 
school-" marms" and school-masters on 
their vacation-frolic. They assured us 
that they had enjoyed themselves hugely, 
and had just come through Switzerland 



from Paris, having on account of the 
heat agreed not to go to Italy. It seems 
that there were a hundred and fifty in 
the party originally, and that they 
divided ofl" in London, in three sec- 
tions, on three separate routes. Of course 
the whole party wei-e not school-teachers, 
but a large majority were. They ex- 
press themselves as highly delighted with 
Mr. Cook, who accompanies them, and ^ 
declare that he has done all and more 
than he promised, and that they have been 
shielded from all the annoyances that 
befall travelers in Europe. The hotel- 
porters and waiters, whose wdiole salary 
(consists of what they can bleed out of the 
gii^sts, don't like to see Cook coming 
along, and it would not be surprising to 
hear of a strike among them to prevent 
his being received in the hotels. His 
people are told to give " nothing to no- 
body" unless they feel charitably in- 
clined, as he pays all their traveling- and 
hotel-expenses. He says, and I give his 
words for the satisfaction of the frater- 
nity at home, that he never ti*aveled with 
a party of ladies and gentlemen who gave 
him so little trouble or who seemed so 
thoroughly to enjoy themselves. They 
were always " up to time" when the de- 
pot- or the excursion-carriage was at the 
door, and always, in his own language, 
"jolly." 

As many persons will doubtless like to 
know what the expenses of this party 
are, we will state that they are to be 
back at New York in eight weeks from 
the day they sailed, and that the whole 
cost for traveling and hotels, including 
their meal-tickets, to each of the party, is 
four hundred dollars in gold, or about 
seven dollars per day. They crossed the 
ocean in nine days, and have thus far had 
not a single mishap of any kind. They 
landed in England, visited Glasgow and 
Edinburgh, spent five days each in Lon- 
don and Paris, passed through a large 
part of Switzerland, have spent two days 
in Munich, and are o^" to-day for Vienna, 
where they will arrive to-night, and revel 
in the Exposition to-morrow. They, of 
course, pay their own sight-seeing ex- 
penses, and generally separate in parties 
of four or five for this purpose. Fifty-six 
days is undoubtedly a short time in Avhich 
to seeEurope, but still, to those who cannot 
spare more, it is much better than seeing 
none of it. It is a jolly summer frolic, 
much better than being cooped up at a 
summer's resort, and not much more ex- 
pensive, especially to the ladies. They 
can wear out their old clothes in Europe, 



118 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and have no anxious toilet-preparations 
for the trip. 

THE MUNICH PARK. 

Munich, although well provided with 
squares and plazas, has one of the 
grandest parks in Europe, called the 
English Gardens, on the northern envi- 
rons of the city. It is five miles long by 
one and a half broad, and was formerly 
a marshy woodland, but has been made 
into a grand drive and promenade. The 
trees are all of virgin growth, and some 
of them are really immense. Count 
Rumford M'as the projector and improver 
of this fine park, for which all Munich 
is now truly thankful. Some branches 
of the river Isar have been carried through 
the park by canals, and, being bright, 
running streams, add greatly to its at- 
tractiveness. At various points in the 
park are houses of refreshment, where 
beer and coflee, and even a good dinner, 
can be had at a moment's notice. Thus 
in Europe all these breathing-places are 
utilized for the enjoyment of the people. 
Two afternoons in the week the best 
bands of Munich give open-air concerts 
in the vicinity of the pagoda, and here, 
on the occasion of our visit, thousands of 
people were listening to the music, and 
eating and drinking. Carriages, with citi- 
zens and strangers, were moving around 
or halting near the band. There are 
also several asylums for old soldiers, and 
other institutions, within the limits of the 
park. 

RAILROAD PRECAUTIONS. 

In the American of the 10th of July, just 
received, there is an account of an attempt 
to throw a train of cars oif the track by 
placing timbers on it. In Austria this 
species of villainy is guarded against by 
a system that renders it next to an im- 
possibility. On every mile of road there 
is a watchman, who is provided with a cot- 
tage and a small tract of land, and a part 
of whose duty is to walk over and examine 
the track between his post and that of the 
next watchman, and to be constantly on 
the look-out for any obstructions. The 
cottage of each of these watchmen is also 
clearly in sight of the similar cottages to 
the right and to the left of him. He is 
bound to present himself to every passing 
train in front of his cottage, with his red 
flag rolled up in his hand, and make a 
military salute to the engineer, as much 
as to say, "Go ahead, all is right," or, if 
" all is not right," to unroll and raise his 
flag for the train to stop. But this is not 
all. At every one of these stations a tall 



pole is erected, having two arms at the 
top of it, one pointing towards the road, 
and the other from it. The moment a 
train passes to his right, the inner arm is 
lowered, and if to his left, , the outer arm 
is similarly lowered, which says to the 
next watchman on either side of him, 
" The train has passed my station all 
right." These watchmen also have con- 
trol of all the gates of roads crossing the 
track, and are enabled to lock and unlock 
a gate even a half-mile distant, and ring 
a bell the moment they ascertain that a 
train is approaching. This is done by 
means of a strong wire carried along the 
ground on short posts attached to a lever , . 
at the station. The telegraph is also 1 1 
used from the main station ; but this sys- ll 
tem of watchmen and signal telegraphing 
is for the intermediate stations. At night, 
instead of the arms on the post, red and 
green lights are hoisted and lowered as 
signals. AVith such arrangements, ob- 
structions of the track or accidents by land- 
slides or loose rails are next to impossible. 
It is costly, but the saving in damages is 
believed to be greater than the cost, whilst 
the security to life and property adds 
greatly to the business of the companies. 
The watchmen are generally old soldiers, 
who know the necessity of watchfulness, 
and are disciplined to the faithful perform- 
ance of their duties. 



THE ROYAL PALACE. 

We put off to our last day in Munich 
a visit to the royal palace, which we 
found to be a very capacious establish- 
ment, full of faded royal gilt and crimson 
splendor. The walls are frescoed with 
war scenes and peace scenes in the history 
of Bavaria. We passed through from 
forty to fifty spacious halls and rooms, 
consisting of ball-rooms, concert-rooms, 
and chambers, the ceilings of which were 
fully thirty feet high, paneled, and orna- 
mented with gilt and frescoes. War 
scenes figured everywhere, most of them 
seeming like a mass of horses, men, ban- 
ners, cannon, and warlike accoutrements, 
thrown together in inextricable confusion, 
each warrior with sword, battle-axe, or 
dagger, just about to plunge it into the 
bowels of his next-door neighbor. In- 
deed, in most cases, if the fight should 
have gone on as it was in progress when 
the painter caught a glimpse of the scene, 
in a very few moments there would have 
been no one left to tell the tale. There 
were two large rooms, however, which 
contain a collection of paintings of Bavur 
rian beauties. Old King Ludwig had a 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



119 



passion for ordering a painting of every 
very handsome woman that he met, and 
there are about sixty of as beautiful 
specimens of humanity in these two large 
halls as the world can produce. The two 
handsomest of the collection were from 
the lower strata, one of them being the 
wife of a circus-rider, and the other a 
cobbler's daughter. The famous Lola 
Montez, who bewitched the old king, had 
a place here once, but she has been re- 
moved. The throne-room is very large 
and elegant, the ceiling being forty feet 
high, and paneled in gilt, whilst along 
the walls of the room are stationed 
statues of the sixteen kings of Bavaria, 
more than life-size, cast in bronze and 
richly gilded. The present king is quite 
a fine-looking fellow, but he keeps him- 
self shut up in his country palace, and 
will seldom see any one. lie is only a 
king by name, as Bismark is the master 
of Bavaria, and he is probably disgusted 
with the empty bauble he holds by divine 
right. 

STATUE OF BAVARIA. 

Among the various wonders of art in 
Munich are the Hall of Fame and the co- 
lossal female figure, in bronze, called the 
Bavaria. This statue is on a marble base, 
and is reached by forty-eight broad steps 
leading to the level on which the pedestal 
stands. The figure is fifty-four feet high, 
and from the feet to the top of the wreath 
held by the uplifted hand the height is 
sixty feet. The pedestal is thirty-six 
feet high, thus making the whole height 
ninety-six feet. Sixty steps lead up 
through the pedestal to the feet of the 
figure, and from the knee an iron stair- 
case of sixty feet enables the curious to 
ascend inside of the figure to the head, 
within which two seats, capable of hold- 
ing six persons, are placed. From here, 
by looking through the eyes of the figure, 
a view of the beautiful environs and 
mountains can be obtained. The Hall 
of Fame, surrounding the statue on three 
sides, is a temple built in the form of a 
triple hall, supported by Doric columns, 
which was erected by King Ludwig the 
First to receive the busts of celebrated 
Bavarians. It was built in 1853, and 
is two hundred and thirty feet long, with 
twc advancing wings, each one hundred 
and five feet long, and is sixty feet in 
height. The relievos on the two ped- 
iments, in each of which are two female 
figures, with the symbols representing 
the different races of Bavaria, and various 
statues, adorn the frieze over the arch- 



itrave. Forty-eight representations re- 
ferring to the social history of Bavaria 
are placed between forty-four statues of 
victory. The ceiling of the temple is 
adorned with lions and sphinxes, and 
the inner compartments with stars. The 
interior walls are divided into compart- 
ments, on which the busts of celebrated 
Bavarians are placed on consoles, accord- 
ing to the order of time. At the pres- 
ent time there are seventy-five busts in 
position. 

This is undoubtedly the grandest of all 
modern architectural displays in Europe, 
and is on a scale that has never been at- 
tempted since the palmy days of Greece 
and Home. It is not a building, but an 
open temple, of the same description as 
the famous Grecian temples at Psestum. 
The view of this immense statue from the 
base of the hill on which it stands, with 
this grand temple in the background, is 
undoubtedly the most imposing to be 
found in Europe. 

This wonderful statue is still more 
wonderful on a close inspection. We 
drove out in the cool of the morning yes- 
terday, before the sun had concentrated 
its rays on the burnished metal, and 
thoroughly explored it. A winding iron 
staircase passes up through the white 
marble pedestal, and continues on through 
the body of the statue, the whole number 
of the steps being about one hundred and 
thirty, one-half of which are through the 
pedestal, and the remainder through the 
internal portion of the statue. The stairs 
are narrow, only large enough for one 
person to go up, but until the waist 
of the figure is reached the baluster on 
each side is fully four feet from the outer 
metal. A gentleman and lady had passed 
up liefore us, and when we reached the 
head they were seated side by side in one 
of the cheeks, leaving room enough for 
four more inside of the capacious head. 
We looked out of her eyes on Munich 
and the mountains, and also, by standing 
erect, through a hole, about as large as a 
man's hand, at the base of her waterfall, 
or twist of hair. To do this, the reader 
will please to understand that we had to 
stand erect inside of the head and rise 
on tiptoe. It was too hot at this early 
hour to remain long, and, hearing some 
more visitors coming up, we concluded 
to beat a hasty retreat. At the foot 
of Bavaria a lion is sitting, and on the 
inside both the lion and the dress of the 
figure form one cavity. The appearance 
of this statue as it is approached across a 
broad meadow, with a large white marble 



120 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



colonnade to the rear and on each side of it, 
is that of a magnificently-formed giantess, 
with her right arm extended over her 
head, holding a wreath. The idea that 
the figure itself is sixty feet high from 
the heel to the top of the wreath seems 
preposterous, and that it is possible for 
six persons to enter the cavity of the 
head at one time you feel disposed to 
doubt. However, we thoroughly tested 
it, and although there were four of us in 
it at one time, we assure the reader that 
there was almndant room for two more 
ordinary-sized moi"tals to be comfortably 
seated. It stands on the summit of a 
hill, and forty-eight broad marble steps 
have to be mounted to reach the level on 
which the pedestal and the marble tem]ile 
stand. The wreath in the hand of Ba- 
varia is, therefore, nearly two hundred 
feet above the level of the surrounding 
country. 

ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS. 

In company with Mr. Keyser, of Bal- 
timore, who is studying sculpture in the 
Munich Academy of Fine Arts, Ave to- 
day visited that establishment, where we 
found about thirty of the students busily 
at work moulding groups of statuary. 
Most of the work was very fine, particu- 
larly several groups by a young Greek, 
who is regarded as the most promising 
of the class. There are about seventy 
aspirants for fame at work in this insti- 
tution, including a goodly number of 
Americans. Instruction in painting is 
also given here, and Munich is beginning 
to rival Florence as the home of the 
artist. An immense old monastery, so 
large as to have four court-yards within 
its domains, is used for the Academy, 
and we regretted that most of it was 
closed and the students absent, enjoying 
the summer vacation. Mr. Keyser is en- 
gaged on several busts, one of them a 
member of his own family, working it 
out from a photograph, and evinces con- 
siderable skill in his chosen profession. 

RETURN OF BAVARIAN TROOPS. 

A regiment of Bavarian troops which 
has been quartered in France since the 
war, holding one of the provinces as se- 
curity for the French indemnity, re- 
turned home last night. They were re- 
ceived at the depot by a large throng of 
citizens, and feebly cheered as they 
passed through the streets on their way 
to their barracks. Some flags were 
suspended from the houses near the 
depot, but there was no such enthusiasm 



evinced as we had expected on the return 
home of the veterans. There has been 
so much of this, however, during the 
past two years, that the enthusiasm has 
probably exhausted itself. The peculiar- 
ity of the cheer of these phlegmatic Ger- 
mans struck us as very strange, and dif- 
ferent from anything we had ever heard. 
It sounded like '' Ho ! ho ! ho !" each 
long drawn out, and had not the hearty 
and cordial sound of the American hur- 
rah. 

BEER ! BEER ! ! BEER ! ! ! 

We continue to be astounded with the 
beer question as it is presented in this 
Bavarian city. Just imagine our water- 
tanks spouting beer, and all the hydrants 
running with the essence of hops and 
malt, and you will have some idea of the 
amount of beer consumed here. Indeed, 
we have some doubt whether the dogs 
and horses do not turn up their noses at 
water. The number of breweries is in- 
creased annually, but they fail to keep 
up a supply of the winter-brewed article, 
and before the summer is gone the stock 
on hand is consumed. The summer- 
brewed beer is already being dispensed at 
most of the establishments, and notices 
are posted informing the beer-loving com- 
munity that on a certain given day the 
stock will be exhausted, and their estab- 
lishments will probably close. It is, per- 
haps, on this account that so much is now 
being sold, as everybody is looking for- 
ward with dread to the coming famine. 
There are certain famous breweries that 
make good beer, and others that make a 
very inferior article. So long as the 
former have any stock on hand the latter 
can do no business, but when the royal 
brewery is closed, and the stock of the 
good breweries is exhausted, these second- 
rate establishments commence to monop- 
olize the business. The people must have 
beer of some kind, and if they cannot get 
the good they take the inferior article. 

A visit to the breweries and beer-estab- 
lishments of Munich would astonish the 
most inveterate of the beer-drinkers of 
Baltimore. We dropped in last night at 
a garden near the depot, where the lower 
and laboring classes mostly resort. The 
beer was being dispensed from five different 
points, and there were no waiters in attend- 
ance. All who wanted beer had to wash 
their own mugs, carry them to tlie win- 
dows of the tap-room, wait their turn, pay 
their money, and then search for a table. 
Some were eating bread with it, others 
radishes, and a very few meat and cheese. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



121 



There could not have been less than one 
thousand persons at the tables, though 
we were assured that it was a dull even- 
ing. All were quiet and orderly, but in 
earnest conversation around the tables, as 
is usual with the Germans. Occasionally 
some one would strike up an operatic air, 
in which others would join, and although 
there was occasionally loud laughter, it 
never became boisterous, or annoying to 
others. 

ART IN MUNICH. 

We have not alluded to one-half of the 
grand artistical and architectural struc- 
tures which adorn different sections of 
Munich, nor to the numerous elaborate 
buildings, monuments, and statues erect- 
ed in the various public squares. Beyond 
the handsome bridge over the Isar, on an 
elevation, stands the Maximilianeum, an 
institution for students about to enter the 
service of the government, and destined 
for the reception of a gallery of modern 
historical paintings. The Felderhalle, 
or Hall of the Generals, a successful copy 
of Orcagna's Loggia dei Lanzi, at Flor- 
ence, at present contains the statues 
only of Tille and Wrede. Then there are 
the arcades of the Polar Garden, with their 
fine frescoes ; the Library Building, the 
Ethnographical Museum, the llofgarten 
and its arcades, and the several palaces ; 
the new City Hall, and the new bronze 
historical monuments and fountains, are 
all modern, though an imitation of the 
ancients, and are correspondingly more 
handsome than the dilapidated structures 
of a similar character. The Siegesthor, 
or Gate of Victory, erected in 1850 to 
the Bavarian army, in imitation of the 
Triumphal Arch of Constantine at Rome, 
is surmounted by a figure of Bavaria in 
a chariot drawn by four bronze colossal 
lions, and is one of the grandest works 
in Europe. The bronze monument to 
Max Joseph, erected by the city in 1825, 
is very elegant and elaborate. But bronze 
statues are distributed about in every 
direction, and are executed with all the 
artistical skill in this branch of art for 
which Munich is so famous. 

MUNICH BROXZE FOUNDRY. 

We drove out yesterday afternoon to 
the famous bronze foundry of Munich, 
where most of the bronze statues erected 
throughout the world have been cast. 
The United States has been a liberal patron 
of this foundry, as is fully evidenced by 
the models wliich are now standing in 
the museum connected with the foundry. 
The largest of these models is that of the 



colossal equestrian statue of General 
Washington, erected at Richmond, to- 
gether with the figures of Jefferson, 
Mason, Nelson, Lewis, and Henry, which 
stand at the foot of the pedestal. The 
monument ordered hy the Legishiture of 
]\Iaryland for Chief-Justice Taney wf>.s 
cast here, and a model of the female figure 
by Reinhart which adorns the lot of Wm. 
T. Walters, Esq., at Greenmount Ceme- 
tery, is in the museum. A monument for 
Spring Grove Cemetery, Ohio, commemo- 
rative of the bravery of the Ohio troops, is 
in progress ; also one of a similar character 
for Massachusetts, on the main shaft of 
which is to be the Goddess of liiberty, with 
four soldiers, representing the cavalry, 
infontry. artillery, and engineer corps, on 
the base. Two tablets for the latter, one 
having President Lincoln on it, and the 
other Governor Andrew, are already 
completed. We also observed a statue of 
President Lincoln, but could not under- 
stand where it was to be erected. There 
are statues of Henry Clay, Thomas Hart 
Benton, George Peabody, and Horace 
3Iann, of Boston, also one of Beethoven, 
which has been erected at Boston. All 
the models for the great Davidson foun- 
tain at Cincinnati are here, where the 
work was executed from models by Rod- 
gers. The government has sold out this 
foundry, and it is now carried on by the 
old superintendent, Ferdinand MuUer, 
who purchased it. An immense amount 
of work is now in progress, and the monu- 
ment of Stonewall Jackson, by Rein- 
hart, had, we were informed, just been 
forwarded to Virginia. 

SCARCITY OF WATER. 

Water — that is to say, pure drinking- 
water — is scarcer in Munich than in any 
other part of Europe. Nobody seems to 
want it or care about it. Unless it happens 
to rain, the gutters are always as dry as 
dust, indicating that very little water is 
used, even for household purposes. At 
the hotels it is necessary to ask for it a 
half-dozen times before it is brought to 
you, and when it comes it is sufficiently 
warm to indicate that the vessel from which 
it was taken has been standing in the hot 
sun for several hours. It is too trouble- 
some to get for any one to rely upon it 
as a beverage, and too unpalatable to 
have any serious longing for it. As much 
beer as a person can drink, cold and s^ ark- 
ling, can be had for four kreutzers, or 
al)Out two and a half cents, from fresh- 
tapped barrels, at every turn of the streets, 
and it is not to be wondered at that 



122 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



everybody relies upon it. One of the 
ladies of our party persists in demanding 
water, and it is obtained only by bribing 
the servants and feeing the kellner. 
There is no sprinkling of the streets here 
■with vrater, as in Vienna, and when the 
wind blows the clouds of dust are almost 
impenetrable. A wind-storm last evening 
brought such clouds of dust from those 
portions of the city that are macadamized 
that the vehicles passing our hotel were 
completely hidden from view. We could 
hear the rolling of the wheels and the 
tramping and snorting of the horses, 
but not the slightest sign of them was 
visible. The people ran into the houses 
on the right and the left, as if fleeing 
from a sirocco on the desert. Before 
it commenced they seemed to know what 
was coming, and began to run. Those 
who were caught out riding returned to 
the hotel almost suffocated with dust. A 
shower of rain that followed soon cleared 
the atmosphere, and the city became as 
bright and charming as ever. 

A CHEAP CITY. 

Munich is undoubtedly a very cheap 
city. Even the rates at the hotels are 
lower than we have found them anywhere 
else in Europe. The expense for rooms 
i« about seventy cents per day, and al- 
though the hotel restaurants charge nearly 
double the price for meals that is charged 
elsewhere, it is difficult to make the entire 
living expense exceed two dollars and a 
half per day. Carriage-hire is very cheap, 
and cigars are better and cheaper in Mu- 
nich than anywhere else in Europe. Eng- 
lish goods of all descriptions are sold as 
cheap as they are in London. There is 
abundance of fruit here, such as cherries, 
peaches, apricots, plums, greengages, and 
some very good peaches, all of which are 
sold at moderate rates. Cherries are to 
be had throughout the summer, they be- 
ing brought to the city from so many dif- 
ferent surrounding climates that so soon 
as they are over in one section the supply 
comes in from another. We have been eat- 
ing cherries for two months, and obtained 
this morning some of the largest and 
finest whitehearts that we have yet tasted, 
for about twelve cents per pound. A 
gentleman's well-made calf-skin Congress 
boots cost less than three dollars. They 
are as soft as buckskin, and most admir- 
able to travel in. I see English razors 
in the windows for twenty-six kreutzers 
(about eighteen cents), and three-bladed 
penknives for about forty cents. Full 
business suits of cassimere are marked at 



about ten dollars, and everything else is 
at corresponding low rates. Thus, beer 
is not the only thing that is cheap, and 
we expect labor is correspondingly cheap. 
Many of the laboring men and women 
who flock to the breweries at noon seem to 
make their dinner off a mug of beer, with 
a big radish and salt, and a roll of bread 
and sausage, all of which costs Ijut thirteen 
kreutzers, equal to about eight cents in 
our money. They are, however, strong, 
stout, and muscular, and look as if they 
were well fed. Our party, numbering six, 
have just taken dinner at oue of the best 
restaurants. We had soup, beefsteak, 
roast beef, roast duck, potatoes, and pie, 
with a full supply of beer, and good ap- 
petites, each calling for what he or she 
wanted, and the whole cost was less than 
six florins, or about forty cents apiece. 
The inferior qualities of meat are obtain- 
able at the restaurants at much lower rates 
than the better qualities, and a good din- 
ner is served to the carriage-drivers, who 
eat in a separate apartment, for less than 
twenty cents in our currency. 

MUNICH NEWSPAPERS. 

With all its art treasures, and its other 
evidences of high civilization, the city of 
Munich has not within its limits a decent 
newspaper. Indeed, there appear to be 
but two small affairs published here, and 
they are records of amusements rather than 
newspapers. To-morrow morning's paper 
is puljlished at one o'clock to-day, and 
sold upon the streets by a few old women, 
who also have with them some Frankfort 
papers, and occasionally one from Cologne 
or Vienna. All the newspaper-reading 
is done in the cafes, where tlie journals 
of other cities are kept on file, and handed 
around to the customers while sipping 
their coffee. This seems singular, with a 
population of two hundred thousand, 
amid the evidences on every hand of active 
business energy, and with a people all of 
whom are at least so far educated as to 
lie able to read and write. They contain 
no advertisements, except of amusements 
and banks, and although not much larger 
than a half-sheet of the American^ about 
half the space is occupied by stories, 
sketches, etc. 

STUDYING ENGLISH. 

The German lady to whom we have 
alluded as the sister of the Chief Justice 
of Bavaria, assured us that she had been 
studying English for two years, and added 
" that everybody in Munich is studying 
English." There are so many English and 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



123 



Americans constantly visiting Munich, 
and so many students and others perma- 
nently residing here, that all people in 
business find it to their advantage to have 
some knowledge of the language, whilst 
others are picking it up by coming in 
contact with American and English 
families. English is also taught in the 
schools. A few evenings since, as we were 
taking supper at the garden of the Maxi- 
miHan Restauration, a large family of 
Germans were sitting at the adjoining 
table, including eight grown persons and 
three children. The children were play- 
ing around the table, and although the 
conversation among the elders was en- 
tirely in German, the children talked to- 
gether in English, and whenever the 
mother addressed them it was always in 
broken English. The children would occa- 
sionally come up and take a sip of beer 
out of the father's or mothers glass, at 
the same time exchanging kisses, and 
slip off to their play again. 

HOTEI--GREETINGS. 

Munich is decidedly an interesting city, 
a very interesting city, and if it were not 
for the heat we should probably remain 
here some days longer. We do not ex- 
pect to get into a cooler climate, but we 
have studied the poetry of motion so 
thoroughly that we are never so well con- 
tent as when on the move, " strange sights 
for to see." We shall, therefore, hasten 
to finish up Munich, pack our trunks, pay 
our bill, and run the gauntlet of cham- 
bermaids, waiters, porters, etc., which 
the European tourist always finds so de- 
lightful an experience. To have a string 
of them bowing at you all the way from 
your room-door to the carriage-steps, and 
looking beggary without exactly soliciting 
alms, gives the traveler some idea of his 
importance, and he tries to persuade him- 
self that " it is always pleasanter to give 
than to receive." However, beggary is 
the business of their lives, as they re- 
ceive little or nothing for their services 
but what is gathered up from the guests. 

The Cook tourists, who left our hotel a 
few days since, had printed instructions 
from Cook not to give a farthing to any 
one, unless they did so as charity ; that 
their tickets embraced all manner of ser- 
vice. When they left for Vienna, the 
whole household was bol)bing and smil- 
ing around them, and they persisted in 
not understanding what it all meant, and 
quietly shook hands, bidding them all an 
affectionate adieu. Most of them were 
Yankee school-teachers who had no flo- 



rins to spare, and, traveling hastily as 
they do, it would require a heavy outlay 
every day to meet all their demands. 
They had no sooner left than the smiles 
changed to frowns, and all hands were 
abusing Cook and his people. Fifty 
Americans passing through a hotel and 
leaving no money with the servants was 
not to be borne, and it would not be sur- 
prising if the servants on the Continent 
were to strike against allowing Cook's 
people to enter the hotels. 



WiJRTEMBERG. 

Stuttgart, Wurtembeug, August 3, 1873. 

We left Munich yesterday morning, 
and shortly after noon took up our quar- 
ters in the city of Stuttgart, the capital 
of the kingdom of Wurtemberg. Thus 
we iiy over these little kingdoms, none 
of which are as large as the State of 
Pennsylvania, and some of them scarcely 
as large as " My Maryland." Two hours' 
more of travel will carry us to Heidel- 
berg, the heart of the grand duchy of 
Baden, and a few hours more to Frank- 
fort, which now belongs to Prussia. 

NOTES BY THE WAY. * 

Four hours' run from Munich brought 
us to Ulm, which is on the boundary 
of Bavaria, and is a very ancient city, 
containing about twenty-five thousand in- 
habitants, largely engaged in iron manu- 
factures of all kinds, and said to be the 
most wealthy and prosperous city in the 
kingdom. We were surprised to find along 
the route so much barren land, overgrown 
with pines, whilst thousands of acres 
were bogs, from which peat was being 
dug in immense quantities and carried 
ofl" by rail. After passing Ulm the coun- 
try became quite mountainous, and the 
scenery very fine, the foot-hills being 
carefully cultivated, whilst the cottages 
of the farmers looked more cheerful. 
Little villages and towns occurred nearly 
every mile, and large factories for the 
manufacture of linen were quite numer- 
ous. The harvest-fields were thronged 
with men and women, busily at work 
reaping and gathering in a fine crop of 
oats. We passed also two quite large 
cities, Esslingen and Cannstadt, both of 
which, from the cars, presented a pros- 
perous appearance. Indeed, everywhere 
throughout Prussia and its vast depend- 
encies great improvements are in pro- 
gi-ess, the war with France having been a 



124 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



very remunerative speculation to the peo- 
ple. The supplies required by the gov- 
ernment were immense, and fortunately it 
got the money to meet promptly all claims 
upon it. 

We reached Stuttgart about noon, and 
were rather surprised at our first glimpse 
of the city. The depot into which we 
were ushered was so magnificent and 
immense that we turned to Baedeker, and 
found that he had credited Stuttgart with 
the finest depot in Europe, which is say- 
ing a great deal, as the poorest of them 
are very much finer than those of either 
the Baltimore and Ohio or the Northern 
Central Railway at Baltimore. As to the 
Philadelphia depot, those of the country 
way-stations are more elegant and im- 
pobing. 

THE CITY OF STUTTGART. 

As we proposed but a short stay in Stutt- 
gart, we started out after dinner to get a 
view of the city. Stuttgart is the capital 
of the lively little kingdom of Wlirtem- 
berg, and has recently improved so vastly 
that the old town can scarcely be discov- 
ered. It has a population of one hun- 
dred thousand, and there are evidences 
everywhere of great business activity. 
The retail stores are very numerous, and 
make a much finer display than those of 
Munich, whilst the private residences in 
the new portions of the city will compare 
with the finest we have seen in Europe. 
As a general rule, people live here in sep- 
arate houses, if they are able, though 
there are a goodly number of the Vienna 
flats in all sections of the city. Some of 
the private residences, all of which are 
built of a light-blue stone, are of the most 
elaliorate architecture, and are richly or- 
namented with statues and carving. Hun- 
dreds of new mansions were also going 
up in all directions, and, depend upon it, 
Stuttgart is on the high-road to pros- 
perity. 

The king's palace and gardens are 
very elegant, and are extensively orna- 
mented with statues, monuments, and 
two of the most elegant fountains in 
Europe. The public gardens are very 
large, but have no fences, and the grass is 
everywhere interspersed with beds of 
flowers arranged with artistic skill. The 
new palace is very extensive, having in it 
three hundred and sixty-five rooms, and 
is quite an elegant structure. The main 
street of the city, called Klinigsstrasse, is 
equal in attractions to the Rue Rivoli at 
Paris, especially along the front of the 
palace gardens. 



The principal trade of Stuttgart is in 
wine, it being located in the heart of a 
wine-growing district. The city is sur- 
rounded by mountains on every side, 
which are cultivated to their summits 
with the vine, and thus is like the 
centre of an amphitheatre, presenting a 
very picturesque view. It has the rep- 
utation of being excessively ■warm in 
summer, though we found it so cool last 
evening whilst listening to the music in 
the Stadt Gardens as to compel us to 
retire before the close of the concert. 
The public buildings are all new, and 
very elegant, and there is a Polytechnic 
Institute here, said to be the very best in 
Europe. 

SUNDAY IN STUTTGART. 

We spent Sunday in this rejuvenated 
ancient city, and found it quite different 
from Sunday in Austria. This is a Prot- 
estant country, there being but ten thou- 
sand Catholics in this city to ninety thou- 
sand Protestants. As usual, we started 
out in search of fruit, but found every- 
thing closed up, as if hermetically sealed. 
The market-house was not only empty, 
but cleaned and washed, so that you could 
scarcely tell whether it was a market-hall 
or a ball-room. The bells all over the city 
were announcing the Sabbath day, and 
the people were out in their best attire 
for early morning worship. The beer- 
shops were all closed, and all manner of 
business was suspended. A more staid 
observance of the day could scarcely be 
found in Old England, though in the even- 
ing the strictness was somewhat relaxed 
so far as all kinds of eating and drinking 
were concerned. The beer of Stuttgart 
is not inviting, and tastes very much as 
if it were the rinsings of the Munich 
breweries. It is not, therefore, drunk to 
any great extent, except by those who 
cannot afford wine, which is so cheap and 
abundant here. In fact, we are grateful 
to be able to record the fact that we are 
again in a city where water is used lor 
some other purpose than squirting it 
through fountains. There are plenty of 
fountains here, and the water is good and 
palatable. We record it to the honor of 
Stuttgart, that it is the only city on the 
Continent where drinking-cups are sus- 
pended at the fountains, giving an oppor- 
tunity for man to slake his thirst in pass- 
ing, without being compelled to lap up 
the water like a brute. 

But Sunday in Stuttgart is so anti- 
continental that we do not wonder that 
it is becoming a favorite place of residence 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



125 



for both English and Americans. A large 
number of American and English families 
have located here to educate their chil- 
dren. At the hotel-table this morning a 
majority of those present were using the 
English language. On the corners all 
over the city posters were up with a rep- 
resentation of the American flag, under 
which was a notice to Americans to at- 
tend the Fourth of July celebration. At 
all the hotels the waiters speak English, 
as the clerks do in most of the stores, 
which fact please report to President 
Grant, in proof of the approaching mil- 
lennium of language, when all the world 
will say its prayers and call for its beer 
in good plain English. Although we 
liked the opportunity of returning again 
to good water and finding the English 
language spoken, we felt a longing this 
morning for the rich and luscious coffee 
of Vienna, where no one knows how to 
make bad coffee. We could stand the 
bad beer of Stuttgart by doing without 
it, but we think we have seldom tasted 
worse coff'ee, even when brewed in a hut 
in San Domingo, than that placed before 
us at the most fashionable hotel in Stutt- 
gart this morning. 

VISITORS TO THE FATHERLAND. 

We met to-day in the cars on our way to 
Stuttgart a German who has for manyyears 
resided in California, and who is now re- 
turning from a visit to the home of his 
childhood. He had his youthful remem 
brances of its attractions, and of the joyful 
days when all seemed bright and beauti- 
ful. For many years he had longed for 
the time to come when he could revisit the 
Fatherland. lie even imagined that the 
fruits of Germany were more luscious and 
sweet than those of California, and had oft- 
en boasted that such was the case. He had 
finally come to spend a few months amid 
the scenes of his youth, and was now re- 
turning disgusted with everything. Most 
of his old acquaintances Avere either dead 
or gone to America. INIany of them had 
been killed in battle. The fruits Avhich 
had tasted so sweet were insipid as com- 
pared with the fruits of California. None 
of the comforts of life were known here, 
except to the titled and wealthy. Hotel 
life, as compared with hotel life in San 
Francisco, was worse than living in a 
hovel at the mines. He had found it a 
constant struggle to get anything fit to 
eat since he landed at Liverpool. The 
table-d' hote he regarded as a burlesque on 
good living. He had found everybody he 
came in contact with planning some mode 



to swindle him, or begging for money for 
services that had not been rendered, or 
for which he had already paid. A more 
thoroughly disgusted individual we had 
never met with, unless it was Mr. Raster, 
editor of the Chicago Staats Zeitung, who 
is also on a visit to the Fatherland. When 
we last met him ho was more in love with 
his adopted country than ever, and longed 
for the comforts of his home. This is 
the case with nearly all the American 
Germans whom we have met with. They 
have been thoroughly cured of their long- 
ing for home, and will return better 
Americans than ever. They can no 
longer see any pleasure in the glitter of 
royalty, or admire the costly palaces and 
monuments to the memory of dead ty- 
rants, whose whole glory consisted in 

leading to slaughter hecatombs of their 

• •1*1 
countrymen to maintain kingly preroga- 
tives or avenge personal grievances. The 
young men of Europe, cooped up in bar- 
racks, and marched and drilled in the 
scorching sun, that they may be ready 
to lay down their lives at the bidding of 
their masters, are to them a sad sight, 
Avhen they remember the freedom of their 
own children from military service. It 
would do good to many of our natural- 
ized citizens to pay a visit to the Father- 
land. Many of them are like the grum- 
bling husband who imagines that nothing 
tastes so good as that Avhich his mother 
cooked, forgetting that he then had a 
youthful appetite that sweetened his food 
and helped his digestion. 

PREPARING FOR WAR. 

Although Prussia, Bavaria, and Wlir- 
temberg have just come out of a suc- 
cessful contest with France, there is no 
cessation of warlike preparation for any 
emergency that may arise. Regiments 
and brigades are marching and counter- 
marching, or holding camps for instruc- 
tion, new recruits are being drilled, and 
to the eye of an American it looks as if the 
country might be on the eve of another 
war. At Ulm, on the boundary of Ba- 
varia, extensive fortifications are being 
built, and are swarming with workmen. 
They are of the most formidable charac- 
ter, and are being constructed of brick 
and granite. This place has always been 
extensively fortified, but new works that 
are deemed necessary to make it impreg- 
nable are being rapidly constructed. We 
also passed a great number of immense 
barracks, covering acres of ground, swarm- 
ing with soldiers, whilst others were 
in course of erection. The Bavarian 



126 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



troops who had been holding several 
of the provinces of France as security 
for the indemnity to Prussia, after rest- 
ing a fevr days at Ulm and getting new 
uniforms, were in the cars on their way 
to Munich.. The cars were dressed with 
evergreens, as were also the depots, whilst 
the i3avarian and Prussian flags were 
suspended in great profusion. At Mu- 
nich, not only during the day, but in the 
middle of the night, regiments of in- 
fantry and troops of cavalry passed our 
hotel, generally with full bands of music. 
What they were doing, or where they 
were going, we could not ascertain, but 
presume they were on their way to the 
camp of instruction, as they were gener- 
ally accompanied by baggage- and ammu- 
nition-wagons. 

Prussia is gradually overshadowing all 
these petty kingdoms, and will soon get 
rid of the kingly incumbrances attached 
to them. Their military system is under 
the supreme control of Prussia, and the 
Prussian uniform is being gradually made 
to take the place of their own pet colors. 
Here, in Wlirtemberg, the spiked hat and 
dark-green coat of Prussia have already 
been substituted ; but Bavaria resists, and 
still holds to her national colors of blue 
and white. The Prussian fatigue-cap 
and other peculiarities of trimming have 
been accepted by the artillery of Bavaria ; 
and it will not be long before the whole 
national suit will disappear. 

THE MARRIAGE QUESTION. 

Whilst driving around and viewing the 
sights of Stuttgart, yesterday afternoon, 
a conversation with the carriage-driver 
was thoroughly corroborative of a state- 
ment made in a former letter as to the 
difficulty a poor man had to encounter 
before he could get married in any of 
these German countries. It will be remem- 
bered that, as one of the reasons for the 
great disregard of the marriage relation 
in Austria, we stated that men and women 
were driven to lives of shame by the ob- 
structions of the law to marriage ; that 
unless a man could prove to the Mayor 
and Council of the town in which he 
was born that he was able to support a 
family, and that his children, if he should 
have any, would not become a charge on 
the town, no priest or clergyman was al- 
lowed to marry him. It seems that this 
law prevails throughout all German-speak- 
ing countries, and is rigidly enforced, for 
the protection of each other from pau- 
perism. The carriage-driver inquired 
whether there was any law to prevent 



a man from marrying in America, and, on 
being assured there was not, proceeded 
to state his own case. lie was a man 
but little under forty years of age, of 
more than ordinary intelligence, having 
all the appearance of a sober, industri- 
ous, and honest man. He said he had 
been driving a carriage for a great num- 
ber of years here in Stuttgart, and had 
saved sufficient money to enable him, on 
the death of his employer, seven months 
since, to purchase from his widow not 
only the carriage and horses which he 
was driving, but the license and number, 
which it seems are also marketable com- 
modities. Being now fully convinced in 
his own mind of being able to support a 
wife and family, he had applied to the 
authorities of his native town for a per- 
mit, forwarding them also proof of his 
present prosperous condition. Several 
months had elapsed, and no permit had 
yet been given, though he was not with- 
out hope that recent efforts which he had 
made would be successful in procuring 
it. But unless it was given he could not 
be lawfully married. He might go on, 
as we rather expect was the case, and 
have a family without marriage, but they 
would not, if illegitimate, in case of his 
leaving them destitute, become a charge 
on his native town. Is it any wonder 
that the poor are fleeing from such a 
country, where a man is born a slave to 
military service in the prime of his life, 
and forbidden all the rights of manhood 
in his maturity ? This carriage-driver 
had spent the best portion of his life in 
military service. Thus it is that the fact 
of a man and woman living together with- 
out marriage in Austria does not lower 
them in the estimation of their neighbors, 
even if they should change their " part- 
ners" annually. We were not prepared to 
find such obstacles to marriage in this 
more staid and solid portion of Germany. 
Human nature revolts at such laws, 
which are unworthy of a civilized com- 
munity in any part of the world. 



DUCHY OF BADEN. 

HEIDELBERG. 

Heidelberg, August 4, 1S73. 

We left Stuttgart at noon yesterday, 

and reached the ancient and romantic 

town of Heidelberg for early dinner. 

The country through which we passed 



AMERICAN SPECTACLE Fi. 



127 



was very beautiful, and in a high state of 
cultivation, the mountains and hill-sides 
being; clothed with the vine, and the valleys 
devoted largely to the growth of tobacco 
and hups. In two hours we passed the 
boundary of the kingdom of Wiirtem- 
berg and entered the duchy of Baden, to 
which Heidelberg belongs. Tliere was 
no work going on in the fields, the roads 
being lined with the agriculturists going 
to and from their churches, the steeples 
of which indicated that they were mostly 
modern structures, built by those who 
worship in them. Wherever the old 
churches are most numerous, Sunday 
is seldom observed, except to say an ex- 
tra prayer in the morning before break- 
fast. 

As we approached Heidelberg the 
country became more hilly and moun- 
tainous, the foot-hills being cultivated 
with the grape, and the sides of the 
mountains ledged and walled and green 
with the running vine. At length the 
famous Castle of Heidelberg, looming on 
the mountain-side over the town, could 
be seen in the distance, and in a few 
minutes we were in the depot, where 
from three to four hundred tourists daily 
arrive during the summer season to visit 
these historical scenes. 

THE TOWN OF HEIDELBERG. 

Heidelberg has a population of seven- 
teen thousand, about two-fifths Catholics 
and three-fifths Protestants, with five 
hundred Israelites. It was a Roman 
town, Avith castles and towers for the 
protection of their frontiers, in the first 
century. For the next seventeen cen- 
turies there was perhaps no other spot 
on earth that was so severely afflicted by 
the ravages of war as this little town, it 
being the key to the valley of the Neckar. 
It has been totally destroyed a half-dozen 
times by contending armies in the inter- 
vening centuries, and twice destroyed by 
fire. The castle, which was first built at 
the end of the thirteenth century, was 
several times blown up and burnt, and 
again rebuilt, only to meet the same fate 
again in succeeding years. When partly 
rebuilt by King Theodore, in 1764, it was 
struck by lightning, and the whole of the 
interior destroyed, leaving it a blackened 
ruin, as it now stands. The walls are of 
vast extent, and form the most magni- 
ficent ruin in Germany. Its towers, tur- 
rets, buttresses, balconies, lofty gateways, 
fine old statues, and extensive courts and 
grounds, render it the Alhambra of the 
Germans, who flock here annually by 



thousands. The ivy-clad ruins are con- 
nected with innumerable historical asso- 
ciations, and the striking contrast here 
presented between the eternal rejuvenes- 
cence of nature and the instability of the 
proudest monuments of men has called 
forth many a poetic effusion. The main 
street of Heidelberg is over a mile long, 
and is devoted principally to business 
and a superabundance of beer-saloons 
and refectories. The two back streets be- 
tween the mountain and the river are very 
beautiful, consisting principally of hotels 
and boarding-houses, interspersed with 
gardens, groves of trees, and several fine 
promenades. A majority of the visitors 
are Americans and English, and on that 
side of the city the English language is 
very extensively spoken. The number 
of Americans here, either stopping for a 
few days or making a prolonged stay for 
excursions into the mountains, is quite 
surprising. The atmosphere is very cool, 
and in the evenings and at night cloaks 
and overcoats and blankets are in demand. 
As in all German towns, the "whey 
cure" is extensively practiced, and no 
more cool and pleasant retreat could be 
desired than Heidelberg. Last evening 
we found overcoats and water-proof cloaks 
quite comfortable while strolling along 
the river. The city lies between the 
mountain on one side and the river 
Neckar on the other, and is necessarily 
long and narrow, the villas and cottages 
on the mountain-side being built high 
up among the rocks. 

ASCENT TO THE CASTLE. 

Several hundred enthusiastic tourists 
present themselves every day at the foot 
of the mountain, intent upon visiting these 
extensive ruins, perched three hundred 
and thirty feet above the level of the river 
Neckar, which winds around its. base and 
flows on to swell the waters of the Rhine at 
Mannheim, near the head-waters of steam- 
boat navigation on that historical river, 
only about six miles distant from Heidel- 
berg. The mountain is ascended to the 
level of the ruinsof the old castle, either by 
a winding carriage-way or by a bridle-path, 
on the backs of mules, which are always 
waiting customers at the corn market, 
though the majority of the inveterate 
mountain-climbing Germans who come 
here ascend on foot, with alpenstock in 
hand. 

We joined the explorers at an early 
hour this afternoon, proceeding in a car- 
riage from our hotel by the winding road 
that leads to the ruins of the castle. Quite 



128 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



a number of tourists were proceeding up 
a shorter but steeper bridle-path, mounted 
on mules, whilst the enthusiastic German, 
who scorns to ascend a mountain other- 
wise than on foot, was climbino; up the 
ascent. It was a bright and clear day, 
with a warm sun, and a cool breeze blow- 
ing from the surface of the river JS'eckar. 
It required about a half-hour to make the 
ascent to the old embattled gate, and we 
were astonished at the extent of the ruins, 
as well as at the excellent state of preserva- 
tion in which they are kept, the govern- 
ment having for the past fifty years taken 
the greatest care to protect them from 
further decay. 

THE CASTLE OF HEIDELBERG. 

Looking up at the castle from the east 
end of Heidelberg, it appears to hang di- 
rectly over the town. From this point 
no conception can be formed of its extent, 
as only the front walls of the main build- 
ing and the towers are visible ; but on 
reaching the summit it is found to extend 
over at least ten acres of land, including 
a large garden without the walls, which 
has l)een restored to the condition it M'as 
in when the castle was in all its glory 
and the home of the rulers of the Roman 
Empire. On entering the garden, imme- 
diately to the left is seen the Elizabeth gate, 
built "by the Elector Frederick the Fifth, 
in 1615, as the inscription says, "To his 
dearly beloved wife, Elizabeth of En-g- 
land." Each side of the stone gateway 
represents four trunks of trees, entwined 
with ivy, and above the archway are two 
female figures holding cornucopias, whilst 
the frieze of the arch is decorated Avith 
the lions of England and the Palatinate. 
This gate is the entrance to the Common 
Garden, which at one time was part of 
the ramparts, but is now a beautiful 
grove of lime-trees, from which a splendid 
view of the town and the fertile valley of 
the Rhine is obtained. On the noi'th side 
of the Common Garden are the walls of 
the Thick Tower, a colossal building which 
closes the north side of the castle. It is 
ninety feet in diameter, and in it was the 
banqueting-hall, sufficiently capacious to 
contain a hundred tables and dine four 
hundred guests. In the niches in the wall, 
partly concealed by ivy, are the statues 
of two of the Electors, and a Latin in- 
scription giving a history of the building. 
At the destruction of the castle by the 
French in 1689, the tower was blown up, 
and half of it fell in the town. The Eng- 
lish building, likewise blown up at the 
same time, adjoins the Thick Tower. Be- 



yond the castle ditch are Rupert's Hall, 
Rudolph's Building, and Rupert's Build- 
ing, underneath all of which, as well as 
the gardens, are subterranean passages, 
extending to the large watch - tower, 
and communicating with other parts of 
the fortifications. Inside of the gardens 
stand the bridge-house and the large 
watch-tower. Over the gate to the bridge 
are the statues of two clumsy-looking 
squires. Over the Gothic doorway of Ru- 
pert's Building are two angels bearing a 
wreath of roses, in the midst of which is 
a pair of half-open compas.^es, which are 
supposed to have had a Masonic significa- 
tion. Farther to the left of the entrance 
is a stone tablet with the following in- 
scription : 

" One thousand four hundred years were 
counted when Palsgrave Rupert was 
elected King of the Roman Empire, and 
governed and inhabited this castle, which 
Palsgrave Louis restored. lie Avas ever 
gay, and in his 44th year, the year 1500, 
he departed this life. May Jesus Christ 
keep them both in his blessed care, Amen." 

In this hall, which is in a tolerable state 
of preservation, a museum of antiquities 
found in the vicinity of the castle is ex- 
hiliited. Under an effigy of Christian II. 
of Denmark, exhibited here, is the fol- 
lowing inscription : 

" His spouse of royal ancestry. Dame 
Dorothea is her name, born Princess of 
Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, three 
mighty kingdoms." 

From these inscriptions it would seem 
that these old-fogy kings thought more 
of their wives than some of their succes- 
sors of the present day do. The Rupert 
Building has been roofed, and is now used 
for festivities of various kinds. 

The most richly decor.ated of these old 
palaces within the walls of the castle is 
Frederick's Building, built in IGOl. It 
is of three stories. On the front, facing 
the court-yard, are four rows of statues, 
sixteen in all, some of them partially di- 
lapidated during the various wars, and 
from the conflagration of the castle. 
Over the doorway is the following in- 
scription : " Frederick, Count Palatine of 
the Rhine, Elector of the Holy Roman 
Empire, and Duke of Bavaria, caused 
this palace to be constructed for divine 
service and commodious habitation, and 
ornamented it with statues of his ances- 
tors, in the year of our Lord 1669." 

This building has l)een also roofed, and 
in the second story are a picture-gallery 
and a collection of antiquities which pai*- 
ticularly refer to the history of the ca&tle. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



129 



Connected with this building is the bal- 
cony of the castle, from which a fine 
view is to be had of the surrounding 
country. The decorated vestibule leading 
to the balcony, with Doric pillars and 
vaulted roof, is very imposing. We next 
viewed the ruins of the arsenal, which 
has been partly restored, and passed on 
to the building which holds the great tun 
or wine-bari-el of the castle, built in 
1751, to replace the old one which was 
built in 1591, but had become decayed. 
It is thirty-two feet long, and from the 
middle of the barrel twenty-three feet 
high. It is bound with eighteen wooden 
hoops eight inches thick and fifteen 
inches broad. In 1752 it was filled for 
the first time, holding equal to two hun- 
dred and eighty-three thousand bottles, 
but it is now empty and unused. Near the 
tun is a little statue of Clemens Perko, 
the court-fool, who, like other fools, drank 
from fifteen to eighteen bottles of strong 
wine daily. 

The Octagon Towers and Otto Henry's 
building, the latter of which was the 
palace of the castle, are especially in- 
teresting. The court-facade is decorated 
with masterpieces of statuary and sculp- 
ture, representing the figures of men 
struggling with lions. The statues on 
the front are Joshua, Samson, Her- 
cules, David, Strength, Faith, Hope, 
Charity, Justice, Saturn, Mars, Venus, 
Mercury, Diana, Sol, and Jupiter. On 
the gable ends are eight medallion heads, 
representing distinguished Romans. 

There is nothing special about the 
Lewis Building, the Towers, or the Foun- 
tains, worthy of description, except to 
show the extent and perfection of this 
vast mountain-ruin. Over the door of 
the Fountain-house is this curious in- 
scription, showing that water was once 
deemed a healthy drink in Germany : 

" New and very Avholesome spring of 
Charles Theodore, the father of his coun- 
try, and of Elizabeth Augusta, the 
mother of her country, is also recom- 
mended as a new source of health." 

As Ave passed through the old chapel, 
the sound of a piano was distinctly heard, 
and on inquiry of our guide we were in- 
formed that an English family had rented 
a suite of rooms in that part of the cas- 
tle for three years, and were educating 
their children in Heidelberg. We also 
passed high up on the mountain, fully 
five hundred feet above the castle, a beau- 
tiful little villa, which, we were informed, 
was owned and occupied by Dr. Sprague, 
an American gentleman. 
9 



MOUNTAIN RAMBLES. 

Higher up in the mountain are the 
ruins of the old castle, which was the 
residence of the old Roman Palsgraves, 
before the large castle was built, as far 
back as the year 1200. It was after- 
wards used as a magazine, and in 1537 it 
was struck by lightning, and the whole 
castle was scattered around the mountain 
by the explosion. Here is now located the 
Molkenkur, or AVhey-cure establishment, 
at which there is a large throng of guests, 
resorting to this mode of curing all va- 
riety of diseases, and taking exercise by 
exploring the castle and the mountains. 
From thence we proceeded to the cave of 
Enchantress Gheta, commanding a fine 
view of the ruins of the castle, the town, 
and the surrounding mountains, and the 
Rhine can be seen winding along in the 
far distance. AVe are now one thousand 
seven hundred and fifty-two feet in the 
upper air, and have pointed out two 
rocks, named respectively Konigsstuhl 
(King's seat) and Kanzol (the Pulpit). 
A tower is erected on the former, and 
from thence we passed to the Riesenstein 
Inn and to the Pavilion, there being, in 
addition to the restaurant in the castle 
garden, an abundance of provisions for 
the inner man during the trip, beer being 
the principal commodity consumed. The 
castle is kept in excellent condition, and 
the garden is very beautiful, a good band 
of music being in attendance every after- 
noon at the restaurant. 

THE GERMAN TOURIST. 

The German tourist is generally a man 
of sedentary habits, whose idea of sight- 
seeing has combined with it the recovery 
of health and good digestion, and he goes 
into it with a vim that is not exhibited 
by other nationalities. He generally 
takes with him his wife or daughters, and 
they, being of the sisterhood not afflicted 
with "weak backs," accompany him in 
all his excursions. They ai'e never satis- 
fied with looking up at the snow on a 
mountain, but have an ambition to look 
down on mother earth with their feet im- 
bedded in the snow. The sight of a 
waterfall rushing over from rock to rock, 
and taking long leaps over precipices, is 
tame to them compared with tracking it 
vip the ascent, reveling in the spray, and 
finally examining the source whence 
it comes. They carry neither trunks nor 
bandboxes with them, but with a blanket 
shawl strapped over one shoulder, and a 
field-glass suspended from the other, and 



130 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



alpenstock in hand, they climb over the 
mountain and make a circuit of the coun- 
try, taking to the rail only when they de- 
sire to reach some distant point from 
whence more pedestrian researches are 
undertaken. The men wear loose jackets 
with belts, and sometimes a small knap- 
sack on their backs, and the ladies are at- 
tired in traveling-dresses, with broad- 
brimmed straw hats. At six o'clock this 
morning, thus equipped, they could be 
seen plodding along towards the ascent to 
the Heidelberg Castle, and were doubtless 
among the ruins long before the tourists 
of other nationalities took their seats in 
the carriages before their hotels. The 
latter will spend a few hours among the 
ruins, and return in time for the evening 
train to carry them to Munich or Stutt- 
gart, whilst the former will spend several 
days in their wanderings over these his- 
torical heights, the history of which they 
had well conned before leaving their 
homes. They generally spend the whole 
day at the castle, ruminating among the 
ruins, reading the guide-books and scraps 
of history in relation to the diiferent 
wings of the castle, and staring the old 
statues out of countenance. It is their 
greatest remnant of antiquity, and as a 
visit to Heidelberg had been the longing 
desire of their previous lives, they make 
the most of it. There are numerous 
other historical points in the surrounding 
mountains, all of which must be visited, 
and they plod along, male and female, 
with unwearied enthusiasm that no his- 
torical stone may escape their inspection. 
The site of this castle was selected by the 
Romans in the first century as the key to 
the valley of the river Neckar, which 
flows at its base, and the fact that in suc- 
ceeding ages it was so often destroyed by 
contending armies shows that the " flank- 
ing" process was not practiced in those 
days. 

Heidelberg, August 5, 1873. 

STUDENT-LIFE AT HEIDELBERG. 

During our sojourn at Heidelberg we 
have paid considerable attention to a sub- 
ject with which the whole world is some- 
what familiar, though generally only in 
the form of incidents and anecdotes illus- 
trative of student-life in this ancient 
University city. We all know that a 
goodly number of the students here live 
a rollicking life, and that some of them 
are occasionally killed in duels, whilst 
others carry home with their diplomas 
scarred faces, and sometimes broken con- 



stitutions, from the effects of the wild 
and reckless course of living into which 
they fall here when freed from parental 
restraint. Of the thousand students who 
annually attend the Heidelberg Univer- 
sity, there are, of course, a large propor- 
tion who are no worse than other young 
men attending similar institutions in all 
parts of the world, but Heidelberg is re- 
nowned for the lack of restraint, and the 
practical approval which seems to be ex- 
tended to those who choose to pursue 
vicious courses. In all these military 
countries the duello is regarded as chival- 
ric and honorable, and if anything would 
tend to render it ridiculous, it seems to 
us that the way in which it is practiced 
by these beardless youths ought to have 
that effect. That the reader may be cor- 
rectly informed as to what student-life in 
Heidelberg really is, wdiat is the character 
of the associations which lead to this con- 
dition of affairs, we have collected from 
authentic sources such facts as could be 
obtained during a brief visit. 

THE GERMAN STUDENT. 

We took a stroll yesterday afternoon 
along the main street of Heidelberg, which 
is about a mile and a half in length, pass- 
ing the various buildings of the Univer- 
sity, and were much amused with our first 
sight of the Heidelberg student in full 
feather, making his Sunday rounds. It 
appears that they are divided up into a 
dozen or more societies, each having a 
combination of colors to distinguish it. 
These colors are displayed in the color 
of the cap and of the band around it, as 
well as by a broad tri-colored ribbon worn 
across the bosom of the shirt. Two or 
more members of different societies are sel- 
dom seen together, as the whole object of 
the societies seems to be the generation of 
feuds and quarrels and the resort to the 
duello. One party of five, walking arm 
in arm, particularly attracted our atten- 
tion from the fact that each of them had 
scars aci'oss his face, indicating recent 
wounds, and one of them still wore strips 
of adhesive plaster. We passed a good 
many going singly or in couples similarly 
marked, and regretted that the close of 
the lecture season a few weeks since had 
taken so many of these chivalric youths 
to their homes. So universal is this duel- 
ing practice that a scarred face among 
professional men in Germany is regarded 
as signifying the possession of a Heidel- 
berg diploma. They are, however, a fine- 
looking set of young fellows, all strong 
and athletic, with a rakish devil-may-care 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



131 



air about them. It is one of the peculi- 
arities of German universities, that no 
student can gain admission unless he 
has not only previously graduated in a 
college, but has also graduated from 
a gymnasium, and has all his muscles 
strong and well developed. Hence there 
are no sickly students here, and none 
appear to be much under twenty-one years 
of age. 

Any youth of a wealthy family coming 
here and going earnestly to study, and 
refusing to join any of these roistering 
and beer-di"inking societies, at once incurs 
the animosity of all of them, and partic- 
ular members are appointed by each soci- 
ety to seek an opportunity for a quarrel 
with him. They have thus frequently 
stumbled upon adversaries who were not 
to be trifled with, and Avho paid no atten- 
tion to the code, which regards a scratch 
drawing blood as sufficient for the satis- 
faction of an intended insult. In times 
past, some students have thus been killed, 
especially such as had been universally 
successful in carving the faces of fellow- 
students, and imagined themselves suffi- 
ciently skillful t* make it safe for them 
to insult and encounter army officers. 

■ A HEIDELBERG DUEL. 

Less than a year since, a student of 
quiet and gentlemanly demeanor had 
been frequently insulted by these Hot- 
spurs with the view of a fight, but re- 
fused to be thus dragged into personal 
conflict. All their efforts having proved 
unavailing, they imagined that it was 
cowardice that induced him to refuse to 
take offense. The matter was taken up 
at the meeting of one of these societies, 
and a young student, who was very ex- 
pert in the use of his sword, named 
Knelling, was selected to dog his steps 
and seek every opportunity of insulting 
him. His efforts were unavailing, until 
one morning he met him at the depot, 
whither he had gone to see a lady friend 
off in the cars. Here Ruelling so grossly 
insulted him in the presence of the lady 
that forbearance ceased to be a virtue, 
and he was forthwith challenged. To 
the surprise of all who had doubted his 
courage, the quiet youth indignantly de- 
clined to recognize the Heidelberg code, 
but demanded that the encounter should 
be with broadswords and to the death. 
The matter was taken up by the society 
which had appointed Ruelling to insult 
him, and, under the belief that their ex- 
pert champion would be able to disarm 
and overpower him, if not slay him, the 



terms of the challenge were accepted, and 
a place of meeting selected. The matter 
was kept secret from the authorities, and 
at the appointed time they met, wnth their 
seconds and medical attendants. So con- 
fident were all in the triumph of Ruelling 
that bets of ten to one were offered on the 
result, with no takers. Their swords 
were, however, scarcely crossed before it 
became evident that the youth whom they 
regarded as a poltroon was not only 
dreadfully in earnest, but that he was 
thoroughly master of his Aveapon. The 
fight had not lasted very long when Ruel- 
ling fell mortally wounded, and none 
of his valiant backers and instigators 
were found willing to take up the quar- 
rel. This ought to have put an end to 
these duels ; but the fresh-scarred faces to 
be seen on the streets show that it has 
only had the effect of causing more care 
in the selection of their intended victims. 

THE DUELING CODE. 

The term for studying in the Univer- 
sity is five years, and these young bloods 
of wealthy parents seldom attend a lec- 
ture during the first four years of their 
residence in Heidelberg. The fifth year 
they usually abandon the societies and 
commence to study, and it is a singular 
fact that many of them have subsequently 
become eminent in their several profes- 
sions. The majority of them are turned 
out upon the world professors of nothing 
but roistering and beer-swilling. After 
four years of such life as they have led 
at Heidelberg, it is not all of them that 
can recover their manhood, and devote 
themselves to study and subsequently to 
a career of usefulness. 

The occasional fatal results that have 
ensued from these duels have led to gov- 
ernment interference, so far as to require 
them when they fight to wear a peculiar 
style of spectacles for the protection of 
the eyes, long padded gauntlet buckskin 
gloves, extending to the shoulder, for the 
protection of the hands and arms, and a 
similar padded buckskin apron for the 
protection of the breast and body. A 
peculiar broad-bladed sword, sharp only 
at the point, was also established as the 
regulation weapon, with which a stun- 
ning blow may be struck on the head, 
and the face gashed, which are the only 
parts left unprotected, a thrust or blow 
anywhere else being deemed a violation 
of the code. It is thus arrayed, and thus 
they fight, a cut across the countenance 
leaving a scar being deemed a mark of 
honor. As we seldom see these caps and 



132 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



ribbons unless they are accompanied by 
a scarred face, some idea may be formed 
by our Southern chivalry what a glorious 
time they would have at Heidelberg to 
satisfy their cutting and slashing propen- 
sities. So dearly are these scarred faces 
valued, that when the wound is not deep 
they keep it festering with nitrate of sil- 
ver, and it is not allowed to heal until 
there is an assurance that it will leave 
its mark. Of course there are plenty of 
students here who come to study, and 
live very exemplary lives, having neither 
the money nor the inclination to join 
these roistering and fighting societies, 
which are composed mostly of the sons 
of wealthy parents. They have their 
club-rooms, and generally spend largely 
in excess of the allowances sent them from 
home. The better class of students have 
all gone for the vacation, and it is only 
some of these young bloods who are still 
here finishing their line of dissipation, 
and probably waiting for remittances to 
enable them also to leave for home. 

THE SOCIETY HONORS. 

The fighting proclivities of these socie- 
ties are the main features of the organi- 
zations. They have their teachers of 
sword-exercise, and when they walk the 
streets they occasionally swing their canes 
over their heads, or twirl them in the air, 
as if conning over the lessons they had 
received, and aiming to become dexterous 
in the execution of certain movements 
with the weapon. They have, in connec- 
tion with their club-rooms, apartments for 
practice, in which the clashing of swords 
is constantly to be heard. When they 
cannot get up any personal quarrels six 
or a dozen of their members are named, 
and a challenge sent to some antagonisti- 
cal society to name a similar number, to 
meet them at the dueling-house opposite 
the castle, and fight out the point of difii- 
culty. So soon as blood is drawn the 
fight ceases, and the victorious student is 
required to encounter another of the se- 
lected champions. Thus the fight pro- 
gresses from day to day, and whichever 
society has the fewest scarred faces at the 
end of the contest is proclaimed the vic- 
tor. Thus it is that so few escape with 
whole faces, and that the scar is the in- 
signia of personal prowess and bravery. 
In selecting the officers of these societies 
the man who can prove that he has done 
the most cutting, and has thus maintained 
the credit of the organization, is usually 
chosen as President, and the other officers 



are graded in accordance with the num- 
ber of scalps they carry at their belts. 
Another grade of honor is awarded to 
the member who can drink, at one sitting, 
the largest number of glasses of beer. 
To attain this honor, they have sometimes 
been known to secretly swallow an emetic 
when their capacity to take down more 
was about to cease, go out and empty 
their stomachs, and return ready to carry 
on the contest indefinitely. They swag- 
ger along the streets with the air of 
princes, and appear to expect everybody 
to get out of their way, and as a general 
thing the town-peojile appear to have a 
wholesome dread of coming in contact 
with them. 

UNIVERSITY FENCING-SCHOOL. 

Close to the main University buildings 
we observed a sign with the following in- 
scription : " University Fencing-School." 
As a means of self-protection, every new 
student is expected to take lessons at this 
academy. lie cannot, if insulted, knock 
down the man who insulted him, and 
fight it out on the gre*n, but must be in 
readiness with his sword to encounter 
those who have been for a long time un- 
der instruction and practice. Fist-fight- 
ing is voted vulgar and unchivalric, and 
not such a mode of settling disputes as 
gentlemen should resort to. Hence the 
necessity of this department for study, 
which is regarded as under the patronage 
of the Professors. A young man who 
comes here and declines to take lessons is 
looked upon Avith suspicion, as he is sup- 
posed to have perfected himself in the 
" manly art" before leaving home. He 
is suspected of being an expert, which of 
itself is a sort of protection, almost equal 
to that obtained by the student who has 
proved himself superior to all his fellows 
in the handling of the weapon. No one 
being desirous to be the first to test his 
ability, gives him an immunity from in- 
sult. Many come tluis prepared, and 
they are seldom troubled until the extent 
of their proficiency is known. It might 
be supposed that parents Avould keep their 
sons from such associations, but it must 
be remembered that there are few who 
come here under twenty-one years of age, 
and that many of them are their own 
masters. Then the University has a high 
reputation, and many parents think that 
the "rough and tumble" life which they 
lead here will best prepare them to en- 
counter the trials and cares of the life 
upon which they are about to enter. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



133 



THE students' PARTING. 

This afternoon three or four of the 
members of these societies started for 
their homes, and they were accompanied 
to the depot by all the members still re- 
maining here of the two prominent socie- 
ties which are on good terms. They filled 
about twenty open barouches, and each 
had on the cap which they wear on im- 
portant occasions, some with crimson 
worked all over with silver, and others 
of blue and silver. These caps are not 
much lai-ger than an old-fashioned tea- 
cup, and seem to be fastened on the tops 
of their heads with strings, as they are all 
too small to stay there without some fast- 
ening. They were all in great glee, and 
brimming full of wine drunk at the part- 
ing dinner from which they had just 
arisen. At the depot they kissed each 
other in the most affectionate way, and 
parted with all manner of cordial greet- 
ings. 

THE HEIDELBERG BRAND. 

Whilst returning yesterday from our 
visit to the Castle of Heidelberg, we passed 
on the mountain-road six carriages filled 
with students, lying back in their seats 
and smoking, with their little skull-caps 
perched jockey-like on the sides of their 
heads. Having met them at a bend in 
the narrow road, they all had to stop 
whilst we passed, giving a good opportu- 
nity to scrutinize their countenances. Of 
the twenty-five, four had both broken 
noses and scars, three had their faces 
patched with strips of adhesive plaster, 
one had a black silk handkerchief tied 
around the upper portion of his forehead, 
and the faces of all the others but one had 
scars or cuts. They were, as usual, in a 
merry mood, and evidently intent upon a 
jollification at the restaurant in the castle- 
garden, which is kept open and the band 
playing until ten o'clock at night. They 
were all dressed elegantly, and were evi- 
dently aware of the aggregate good looks 
of the party. A few minutes after, as we 
reached the mountain-road overlooking 
the Neckar, our driver pointed out to us 
the restaurant on the other side of the 
river, beyond the bridge, a large white 
house, which he informed us was the 
place in which the students had rooms in 
which they fought all their duels. It is 
a restaurant, whither they also repair on 
the occasion of any extraordinary jollifi- 
cation. On our way to the depot we 
passed a restaurant where some fifty of 
them were assembled, arrayed in their 
silver-braided coats and caps, with a band 



of music, all hands accompanying the in- 
struments with a merry bacchanalian song. 

Note. — Tlie following incident, which 
occurred at Heidelberg a few weeks after 
our visit, will satisfy the reader that 
there is no exaggeration in our statement 
of "Life at Heidelberg." 

A game of cards, in which a human life 
was at stake, was played on the 9th of 
September, at the Ritter Hotel, Heidel- 
berg, by four j^oung students, one of 
whom, Silfred Meyer, was an American 
from Chicago. It appears that the four 
men had formerly been intimate friends, 
and they met, it seems, on the above day 
at the Swan Tavern, where they drank a 
good deal, and finally began to quarrel. 
One of them. Count Ottendorf, called 
Meyer a cowardly Jew, whereupon the 
latter promptly challenged him. Otten- 
dorf accepted the challenge immediately. 
Meyer, in a tone of great excitement, pro- 
posed that all four should repair to the 
Hitter Hotel and there play a game of 
" sixty-six." The loser should shoot him- 
self with a pistol. This proposition was 
accepted, and the four students repaired 
to the hotel. They ordered wine and 
cards to be brought up to a private room, 
and Ludeken, one of the four, procured 
two loaded pistols from a neighboring ar- 
morer. The four students dealt the cards, 
and Ottendorf and Meyer seated them- 
selves, a pistol lying by the side of each. 
The first few minutes the game remained 
almost even. But when Meyer obtained 
a single advantage, Ottendorf, seeing that 
he was lost, suddenly jumped up, and ex- 
claiming, " Adieu, my friends," seized his 
pistol and shot himself through the right 
temple. He fell a corpse to the floor, 
while his companions stood as if petrified 
for a moment, then hurried from the room. 
When the proprietor of the hotel hastened 
into the room, he found the dead count ly- 
ing on the floor. He gave an alarm, and 
the police started in pursuit of the fugi- 
tive students. Late in the afternoon they 
succeeded in arresting Immich, who made 
the above statement. Meyer and Lude- 
ken escaped across the French frontier. 
Ottendorf was the son of a wealthy landed 
proprietor in Westphalia. At the time 
of his death he was only nineteen. 



DARMSTADT. 

Darmstadt, August 9, 1873. 
We left Heidelberg, in the duchy of 
Baden, at noon yesterday, and in two 



134 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



hours were at Darmstadt, at the capital 
of the dukedom of Darmstadt, another of 
those petty principalities that still bar 
the way to a united Germany. The 
Duchess of Darmstadt is a sister of the 
Emperor of Russia, and the wife of the 
heir to the dukedom is the Princess Alice 
of England. These two influences alone 

f>revented Prussia from wiping out this 
ittle dukedom and incorporating it in 
the kingdom of Prussia. England and 
Russia would have been offended, and 
hence Bismark contented himself with 
the control of the military power of Darm- 
stadt, all of the soldiers of which are now 
clad in the full uniform of the Prussian 
service. Although still a dukedom, all 
the power and control of the diplomatic 
and military relations of the country are 
in the hands of Prussia. 

THE CITY OF DARMSTADT. 

This is a bright little city, more modern 
in its appearance than most of these old 
German cities. It was remodeled by the 
Grand Duke Ludwig in 1830, and has 
broad and well-paved streets running- 
through it in all directions, and the build- 
ings generally have a modern aspect. It 
has a population of thirty-nine thousand, 
and, with the exception of two thousand 
five hundred Catholics, it is a Protes- 
tant city. On the Louisenplatz, in the 
centre of the city, a very elegant monu- 
ment of red sandstone, about one hundred 
and fifty feet high, has on it a statue of 
the Grand Duke Ludwig, erected "by his 
grateful people." It has several fine 
palaces, that of Prince Charles being 
handsomer and finer than that of the 
Grand Duke or of the Princess Alice, who 
is a great favorite with the people. But 
these palaces are tiresome to look at, and 
would be much more tiresome to the 
reader if we were to attempt to describe 
them. In the Schloss Palace there is a 
very fine collection of paintings, some 
seven hundred in number. In the first 
saloon there is a good collection of modern 
paintings, from the middle of the last 
century to the present day, which plainly 
shows that those of the present day are 
better even than those of the last century. 
The rest of the gallery is of the old Dutch 
and Italian schools, which are very fine 
in the eyes of those who can see nothing 
good or perfect in the present, and have 
no hopes for the future. 

In the steeple of the Schloss Palace 
there is a very remarkable musical clock. 
About two minutes preceding the close of 
every hour the bells, of which there are 



about forty in the steeple, of all sizes, 
play an air, which is distinctly heard at 
night at our hotel, about two squares 
distant. It resembles the Swiss bell- 
ringers, and is vei-y perfect in its per- 
formance. 

THESE OLD TOWNS. 

We have roamed over Darmstadt, as 
we have during the past week over Stutt- 
gart and Heidelberg, and, with the excep- 
tion of the palaces and the public squares, 
one looks as much like the other as two 
peas. The people, too, look and dress 
just as the people of Baltimore look and 
dress, and the ladies are pretty, in our 
eyes, everywhere. They are mostly 
blondes in this section of Germany, and 
are finely formed, with delicate expres- 
sion of countenance and bright eyes. 
They dress with great neatness, and do 
not take to the gaudy colors to which the 
ladies in Austria are so partial. 

In roaming through these old cities, eat- 
ing breakfast in one and dinner in another, 
we feel at times a singular sensation of 
surprise that one is thus able " to hop, 
skip and jump" over the Old AVorld. 
Sometimes we have to stop and think 
where we were yesterday, and the day 
before, and, waking up almost every 
morning in a strange hotel, we are puz- 
zled at times to remember where we are 
to-day. AVhere we will be to-morrow, or 
next day, or next week, is always un- 
certain. The cholera having thrown us 
off of our track of travel, we are wander- 
ing about, without aim or destination. 
We may go to Frankfort, or we may go 
down the Rhine, to-morrow, just as the 
whim or notion may take us at the time 
of starting. 

But to be walking on the streets and 
among the people of one country in the 
morning, and elbowing those of another 
in the afternoon, is an odd sensation, 
even to those accustomed to roam around 
the world. If the people would only dress 
different and look difi'erent, or build their 
houses in a different style, the novelty of 
travel would be much greater. But there, 
right around the square from our hotel, 
stands a building that looks very much 
like Guy's Hotel, though it lacks those 
modern steps of that popular establish- 
ment. The palace of the Princess Alice, 
at the opposite corner, with a sentry-box 
on either side of the front door, somewhat 
resembles the residence of Enoch Pratt, 
Esq., but it is not so handsome. The 
monument to the Grand Duke Ludwig, 
in the centre of the square, is like the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



135 



Washington Monument, only not so large 
or high, and of red sandstone instead 
of white marble. The palace of the Grand 
Duke, on the other side of the square, is 
too plain a building to compare with even 
our court-house, and the Post-Office, at 
the other corner, looks very much like 
that ancient structure which, in the olden 
days, stood on the corner of Baltimore 
and Liberty Streets, in which the Con- 
gress of the early days of the republic 
is said to have assembled. The large 
public building in the centre of the north 
side of the square looks very much as 
the old Fountain Inn on Light Street did 
in its palmy days ; and the hotel in which 
we are taking our ease, although sur- 
rounded by such brilliant company, is an 
extremely plain three-story white stuccoed 
building, with a long row of garret-win- 
dows peeping out from its steep slate roof. 
These old cities not only resemble each 
other, but look just like a good many of 
our American cities, and the people who 
walk the streets might be transferred en 
masse into the streets of any of our large 
cities, and no one would suspect that there 
were any strangers in town, unless there 
should happen to be a few stray Turks 
among them. There is one thing, how- 
ever, in which the meanest German city 
excels Baltimore, and that is in its street 
pavements, and the universal cleanliness 
in which the streets are kept. In this 
respect Darmstadt is worthy of a visit 
from our City Fathers. 

RELIGIOUS TOLERATION. 

South of the river Main, all Germany 
is devoutly Catholic, whilst north of that 
river the Protestants predominate, eleven- 
twelfths of the people of Darmstadt being 
anti-Catholic. Everywhere, however, we 
are happy to be able to state, the largest 
liberty in all spiritual matters is enjoyed. 
We entered an immense brown-stone 
church in Heidelberg the other day, with 
imposing steeple, and statues in the 
niches on the walls, which we supposed 
to be a Catholic cathedral. On entering 
we observed that it was divided in two 
parts by a wall in the centre, and actually 
discovered that one end of the church was 
Catholic and the other end Lutheran, both 
worshiping under the same roof. We 
remember last year at Interlaken, in 
Switzerland, to have met with something 
similar, — a Catholic and an Episcopal 
congregation assembling at one time un- 
der the same roof, within the walls of an 
old monastery. This is all so different 
from what was the case ten or twelve 



years ago, that it may be hailed as the 
commencement of a new era. 

PROVISION STORES. 

There is no regular meat-market in any 
of the German cities, and, with the excep- 
tion of Stuttgart, we have not met with a 
market-house of any description. There 
is usually a public square set apart for a 
market, well paved with stone, but with- 
out even a shed or permanent stall upon 
it. The market-people merely set their 
baskets down and stand alongside of them, 
though some bring stalls with them, and 
have large umbrellas. All kinds of meat 
are obtained from the provision stores, 
which are very numerous, and are fitted 
up with great elegance. To look in at 
an American provision store on a warm 
day is enough to spoil one's appetite, but 
the German provision store makes a man 
hungry to look at it. The meat is dis- 
played on white marble slabs, the win- 
dows are ornamented with specimens of 
meat, sausages, and other articles, ■with a 
little fountain playing over an urn full 
of gold-fish. There is an air of cleanli- 
ness and sweetness about the whole es- 
tablishment, and the duty of salesman is 
usually performed by a bright, rosy- 
cheeked lass, who handles the weapons 
of her profession with all the skill of a 
professor. We always make it a rule to 
stop and look in at these neat little estab- 
lishments, and wonder why it is that we, 
with our superabundance of ice, cannot 
present similar stores. Fruits and vege- 
tables are not eaten here as with us. 
With the exception of pears, plums, and 
cherries, there is nothing in the markets, 
and these are in such limited quantities 
that one of our fruit-dealers at the Lex- 
ington or Marsh Market would monopo- 
lize the whole stock offei-ed this morning 
to a population of forty thousand people. 
A pound of plums was an extensive sale 
to any one purchaser, and most satisfied 
themselves with a half-pound. Peaches 
are a curiosity, and are hard and sour. 
They are always sold at so many kreutzers 
apiece, and never by the measure. Truly, 
the American tourist deprives himself of 
many of the joys of life by spending his 
summer in Europe. Only think of the 
loss of cantaloupes, watermelons, jieaches, 
and hot corn, and having to put up with 
a spoonful of strawberries or raspberries 
without cream. 

TOBACCO AND CIGARS. 

During the Southern rebellion, when 
tobacco got to a very high figure, all the 



136 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



German States commenced experimenting 
on raising tobacco for themselves, and, 
although the quality is very inferior, an 
immense quantity is now raised, and 
every farmer grows suiEcient for the con- 
sumption of himself and family. Be- 
tween this city and Stuttgart we passed 
hundreds of acres of it, and it looks well 
on the field. The cheapness of cigars has 
almost driven the pipe out of use, as one 
is seldom seen now, except in the hands 
of some octogenarian who persists that 
the old mode of doing things is best. 
The cigars offered for sale in the stores, 
made of Germpn tobacco, look well, and 
are of all shades of color, but no one need 
fear having his nerves troubled by smok- 
ing them. Their flavor is not bad, for the 
simple reason that they are nearly flavor- 
less. The prices range from a half-kreut- 
zer (about one-third of a cent) to ten 
kreutzers, and a person lighting one of 
them blindfolded could not tell whether 
it was the higher or lower article that he 
was smoking. A call for some of their 
best cigars last evening at a restaurant 
brought two on a plate for three kreut- 
zers, and we came to the conclusion that 
they were among the best we had yet 
smoked. The probability is that they 
furnish all prices out of the same box, 
giving the purchaser the choice as to the 
price he may desire to pay. However, 
they are not bad cigars, and are pretty 
nearly equal to our American cigars at 
four dollars per hundred. 

FEMALE CLERKS. 

Throughout Germany, wherever fe- 
males can be employed to advantage, 
they are taken in preference to young 
men. At Munich the clerks and book- 
keepers in the banks are nearly all young 
and handsome girls. Like the female 
clerks in the Departments at Washington, 
beauty seems to be one of the require- 
ments to secure an appointment. At the 
depots many of those who attend the 
windows for the sale of tickets are girls, 
and the cashiers in all the cafes and res- 
taurants are of the same sex. They are 
generally very expert at figures, and in 
mental arithmetic have no superiors. In 
view of the fact that so many females are 
employed in the rougher and hardest de- 
scriptions of laboring work, it speaks 
well for the sex that they are seeking and 
securing more desirable and lucrative 
employment. It may possibly arise from 
the fact that the young men are generally 
of the " fast" order, and are not to be re- 
lied upon in positions of trust. We are 



under the impression in America that our 
young men are not as steady and staid as 
they ought to be, but they are miracles 
of steadiness compared to the average 
young men of Germany. The students 
at Heidelberg can give them a start of 
half a day and beat them before bedtime. 
They don't drink strong liquor ; coffee, 
beer, or wine being the extent of their 
libations ; but they devote the best part 
of the day to the cafe or the beer-saloon, 
reading the papers, playing billiards, 
chatting or studj^ing the plates in the nu- 
merous satirical illustrated papers. How 
the many thousands of young men in 
Vienna obtain a living and good clothing, 
who are ahvays to be found in the coffee- 
houses, is a mystery " that no fellow can 
find out." It is equally a wonder to the 
people of Vienna as it is to the stranger. 

GERMAN BABIES. 

The babies of Germany are not allowed 
as large a liberty as those of America. 
They are, for the better part of the first 
year of their earthly pilgrimage, tightly 
wound up in swaddling clothes, with both 
arms and legs pinioned, and carried about 
on a pillow especially made for the pur- 
pose. After they escape from their wrap- 
pings a bag of feathers is tied on their 
backs, so that when they tumble over 
they have something to fall upon. Those 
of the poorer classes are laid in a basket 
with a little bag of sugar in their mouths, 
and are expected to behave themselves 
without much further attention from 
mother or nurse. The nurses on the 
streets generally carry the babies in their 
arms on a pillow, and they are tied to it 
with pink ribbons, lying as still and as 
motionless as if they were little mum- 
mies. They cannot kick or use their 
arms, and evidently they are not allowed 
to know during their puling days what 
their legs and arms are intended for. We 
don't think that our babies would stand 
it, as we observe that German ladies when 
they come to America don't attempt to 
practice any such tyranny on their babies. 



FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN. 

Frankfort-on-the-Main, August 9, 1873. 
Being within but thirty minutes' travel 
of this enterprising and prosperous city, 
we could not withstand the temptation, 
notwithstanding the excessive heat, of 
taking a run down this morning from 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



137 



Darmstadt, for a rapid view of its many 
attractions. The heat must have _ been 
away up among the nineties, as it was 
undoubtedly the hottest day we have yet 
experienced during our three months' tour 
through Germany. Securing a carriage 
at the depot, and a very intelligent driver, 
he took us on a round through the various 
attractive parts of the city and suburbs. 

THE CITY OF FRANKFORT. 

Frankfort-on-the-Main has a population 
of over eighty thousand, Avhich Baedeker 
sets down at sixty thousand Protestants, 
eleven thousand Catholics, and eight 
thousand Jews. It was until 18GG one 
of the free towns of the German Confed- 
eration, but it is now under the Prussian 
government. Old watch-towers indicate 
the extent of the ancient city in which 
the Emperors were elected and crowned. 
It is situated in a spacious plain, bounded 
by mountains, on the river Main, which 
is navigable for vessels of considerable 
size, and a source of great commercial 
advantage. The public grounds and 
promenades encircle the old city on three 
sides, and are splendidly laid out and 
adorned with flowers and shade-trees. 
Like all the German cities in modern 
times, the space formerly occupied by 
fortifications, walls, moats, and parade- 
grounds has been used to ornament the 
city, which has largely outgroAvn its for- 
mer dimensions. Bordering these public 
grounds a succession of magnificent pri- 
vate villas and mansions have been 
ei-ected. surrounded by gardens and the 
finest floral display, which gives to the citj^ 
an air of wealth, indicative of the success 
and extent of its commercial relations. 

The business sections of the city are 
very fine, the streets being broad, and the 
houses generally constructed of a light 
pink or red sandstone. The retail stoi-es 
are elegant and attractive, one of the 
surest signs of the wealth of a city. 

The old portions of the city are full 
of quaint and antiquated houses, many 
of them doubtless several centui'ies old. 
Some of the streets are so narrow that 
two vehicles cannot pass, whilst the 
houses tower up to the height of four 
or five stories. The spirit of improve- 
ment is gradually invading these anti- 
quated places, and new and spacious 
streets are being opened, and fine modern 
buildings erected. 

THE MONUMENTS. 

The most famous monument in Frank- 
fort, which all strangers are sure to visit. 



is that of Gutenberg, the inventor of 
printing. On the pedestal, which is about 
twenty feet high, stand three bronze 
figures. The central one, with types in 
the left hand, is Gutenberg, with Faust on 
his right and Schofi"er on his left. On 
the frieze are thirteen likenesses of cel- 
brated printers, Caxton among them. 
In four niches beneath are the arms 
of the four towns where printing with 
types was first introduced: Mentz, Frank- 
fort, Venice, and Strasburg. On four 
separate pedestals are figures represent- 
ing Theology, Poetry, Natural History, 
and Industry. The heads of four ani- 
mals, which serve as water-spouts, indi- 
cate the four quarters of the globe and 
the universal difi'usion of the invention. 

Near this monument in the Goethe- 
platz is Schwanthaler's monument of 
Goethe, this being the city in which he 
was born. The poet holds a wreath of 
laurels in his left hand. The pedestal 
is covered with bas-reliefs, emblematic 
of his literary pi'oductions, Faust and 
Mephistopheles, etc. We were also shown 
the house in which Goethe was born, 
which bears an inscription recording the 
birth of the poet on tlie 28th of August, 
1749. It is open for public inspection, 
and the rooms facing the court are 
pointed out as those in which he wrote 
his Gotz and Werther, and as the scene 
of the adventures which render his biog- 
raphy so interesting. 

We also visited the monument to Schil- 
ler, which is a plain pedestal, with his 
statue surmounting it in bronze. The 
Hessian monument, ei'ected by Frederick 
William II. of Prussia " to the brave 
Hessians who fell victorious on the spot 
in December, 1792, fighting for the 
Fatherland," is very peculiar. It con- 
sists of masses of rocks, on which a pil- 
lar stands, surmounted by a helmet, 
sword, and ram's head, the latter em- 
Ijlematieal of the attack made upon 
Frankfort by the Hessians, then occupied 
by the French under Custino. Their re- 
mains rest here, and on the pillar their 
names are all recorded in letters of gold. 

THE JEWISH QUARTER. 

Frankfort is famed for its old Jewish 
Quarter, and the carriage-drivers take all 
strangers through it as one of the curi- 
osities of the city. As early as the twelfth 
century many Jews settled here, and 
founded this street in 1642, w^hich, until 
1806, had a gate at each end of it, which 
was closed and locked at nights, after 
which no Jew could venture into any part 



138 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



of the town, under a heavy penalty. The 
house in which the senior Rothschild 
lived, and in which the present genera- 
tion of this opulent family was born, was 
pointed out to us, as well as the dwelling 
and birthplace of the great Baring family, 
who now rule kings and princes by the 
power of their wealth. The houses of 
this quarter are very peculiar in their 
construction, being a combination of 
stone and wood, four stories high, and gen- 
erally not more than eight or ten feet in 
Avidth. Many of them are in such a dilapi- 
dated condition that they are closed up, the 
authorities having compelled the removal 
of the tenants, for fear they would be 
crushed in the ruins. The houses on the 
opposite side of the street have all recently 
been removed for the same reason, most of 
them having fallen down, and as many as 
twenty-three were killed in one house. 
In a short time this old quarter will en- 
tirely disappear, though the locality is per- 
manently marked by a fine Jewish syna- 
gogue and the Jewish Hospital, founded 
in 1830 by the Rothschild family, who 
have also built recently a magnificent 
hospital for all creeds in Vienna, which 
is regarded as the model hospital for the 
world. 

ARIADNE ON THE PANTHER. 

We have not viewed anything in the 
way of art, during our tour, which gave 
so much satisfaction as on the occasion of 
a visit made this moi-ning to Bethmann's 
Museum, a circular building erected for 
the purpose of exhibiting Dannecker's 
exquisite groupe of Ariadne on the Pan- 
ther, a work regarded as the youthful 
sculptor's masterpiece, which would add 
to the laurels of any living or dead art- 
ist. It is the property of a Avealthy 
banker of Frankfort, Avho has put up this 
building for its exhibition, there being 
no charge for admission, except a trifling 
dcmation to the custodian. In order that 
the visitor may be able to compare 
this modern masterpiece with the works 
of the ancients, its owner has procured 
casts of Achilles, Silenus with the young 
Bacchus, Germanicus, the Gladiator, La- 
ocoon, Apollo Belvedere, Venvis de Medici, 
and Diana of Versailles, — all taken from 
the originals. 

The Ariadne is exhibited under a pink 
canopy, through which the light from 
above penetrates, and, as it is slowly 
turned on its pedestal, the perfection and 
beauty of the figure are truly marvelous. 
The reflection makes it almost seem like 
flesh and blood. The position and ease 



of the figure have given it a world-wide 
renown, and the building was surrounded 
by carriages of visitors, among whom 
were many Americans. 

EMIGRATION AND MILITARY SERVICE. 

In the little province or dukedom of 
Darmstadt, in which we have sojourned 
for a few days, the military is, as else- 
where in Germany, an important part of 
the population. The territory of Darmstadt 
is about equal to that of the State of Mary- 
land, or somewhere between Delaware and 
Maryland, but it is required to keep, al- 
ways ready for the field, thirty thousand 
well - drilled troops of the different 
branches of the service. The standing 
army of Darmstadt is, to-day, on the 
peace-footing, nearly equal to all the 
Federal troops of the United States, even 
with the Modoc war on hand, and an ex- 
tensive boundary to protect from Indian 
incursions. The ofiicers are all very fine- 
looking men, most of them of good stat- 
ure, and are dressed with great elegance 
in bright new Prussian uniforms. They 
nearly all wear the iron cross, as do many 
of the men, indicative of personal bravery 
in the recent war with France. 

The military law in Darmstadt requires 
every man to serve three years in the 
army, from eighteen, if of sufiicient stat- 
ure, to twenty-one. For the next nine 
years he is in the reserve, required to re- 
port for monthly drill and inspection, and 
in case of war to hasten at once to the 
standard of his regiment. Each man 
knows where to find his place and his 
officer and who stands next to him in the 
ranks. Thus it was that the landwehr, 
as it was called, followed the regulars in 
solid phalanx, and enabled Prussia to 
overpower France. They were better 
drilled and more experienced soldiers 
than the regular army, each man having 
served three years and been regularly 
held under military supervision. The 
only escape from this military service is 
emigration ; and as most men are too 
young to emigrate before they are eighteen, 
and have no means to emigrate when they 
are twenty-one, having received literally 
nothing but food and clothing for their 
three years' service, they are compelled 
to become mere military chattels. Many 
remain permanently in the army, as the 
only pursuit they have any knowledge of. 
Whilst emigration to America is the great 
earthly heaven of all the poorer classes 
of Germany, it is only the few who are 
ever able to accumulate sufficient money 
to enable them to leave. When you see 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



139 



on the street an emigrant followed by his 
•wife and children, you see a brave and 
determined man, who has overcome more 
difficulties to get where he is than most 
of us are required to encounter in our 
earthly pilgrimage. In the cities there 
are young men's associations for emigra- 
tion, and also in the country towns. They 
each contribute to the funds of the asso- 
ciation a few kreutzers per week, and 
when the treasury is sufficiently replen- 
ished to pay the passage of one or more 
the ticket is purchased, and lots are cast 
among the members as to who shall have 
it. Thus it is that some of the young men 
reach America ; but most of them come 
through the aid of funds sent to them 
from America by friends who have gone 
before them. 

PUBLIC GARDENS. 

From the Romer we proceeded to the 
Zoological Gardens, which are very ex- 
tensive, but the collection of large ani- 
mals is not equal to some we have 
viewed in other cities. It is a beautiful 
resort, and the evening concerts and a 
good restaurant attract throngs of peo- 
ple, who assemble here to take their sup- 
pers and listen to the music. Nobody in 
Germany will eat without a musical ac- 
companiment, if they can help it. 

The Garden of Palms, about a mile 
from the city limits, is another great at- 
traction, where music and good eating 
add to its charms. It takes its name from 
having an immense crystal palace in its 
centre, in which are growing all the varie- 
ties of tropical palm-trees, just as they 
can be seen in Cuba. It was formerly 
the private property of the Duke of Nas- 
sau, but has been purchased by the city 
as a public resort. In .all the German 
cities a resort of this kind is gotten up 
by the authorities, and the expense borne 
by charging a small admission-fee. A 
city passenger railway traverses the city, 
and passes out the road upon which both 
of these gardens are located. 

BEET SUGAR. 

It is not generally known by the rest 
of the world that the people of the Old 
World depend upon the sugar-beet J or 
the manufacture of nearly all the sugar 
they use. This is the case on the Conti- 
nent, and even in France, every former 
raising as part of his crop the sugar-beet, 
which meets with I'eady sale at the sugar- 
houses; though most of the farmers raise 
their own sugar. It would be difficult to 



produce a more pui'e article from the su- 
gar-cane than that furnished at the hotels 
and for sale in the stores. It is generally 
in small, square cakes, though it is also 
manufactured in long, cone-shaped loaves, 
like our best sugar, and sold at about the 
same price as in America. Along the 
road betvreen Darmstadt and Munich 
fully one-third of the growing crop was 
the sugar-beet. 

DOWN THE RHINE. 

We start down the Rhine from May- 
ence this morning, and will be in Paris 
to-morrow, having sojourned for precisely 
three months on German soil and among 
German-speaking people. 



DOWN THE EHINE. 

On the Rhine, August 9, 1873. 

We left Darmstadt at half-past seven 
o'clock this morning, after an early break- 
fast, for Mayence, and within an hour 
we were on board the steamer Humboldt 
on the Rhine, awaiting our departure 
down the Rhine to Cologne, with between 
two and three hundred other tourists. 
The boat, which is built like our ordinary 
American river boats, and about two hun- 
dred feet in length, was literally crowded. 
The promenade-deck, which extends the 
whole length of the vessel, is covered 
with awnings ; and here were the choice 
positions for which every one was strug- 
gling. To give some idea of the number 
of tourists now swarming over Europe, 
it is only necessary to state that three 
boats leave Mayence for Cologne every 
morning, one having started an hour 
before our arrival, and another was to 
start one hour after our departure. These 
are what are called hrst-class boats ; but 
there are others of a smaller class that 
start higher up the river, and stop for 
passengers at all the small places on the 
route. In addition to all this flood of 
travel, the two lines of railway, one on 
each side of the river, flying along at the 
water's edge, carry as many passengers 
as they can accommodate. The railroad 
time from Mayence to Cologne is six 
hours, while the fastest boats take nine 
hours. They must necessarily have pow- 
erful engines to enable them to make the 
up trip against the current, and conse- 
quently they go down stream with great 
rapidity. 



140 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



OUR FELLOW-PASSENGERS. 

This is the second time within a twelve- 
month that it has been our fortune to 
pass down the Rhine, and we have not 
been able on either occasion to go into 
an ecstasy of enthusiasm over its great 
wonders. We this time fortified our im- 
agination by reading Kiefer's Legends of 
the Rhine, but found them to be a collec- 
tion of impossible and improbable stories, 
in which an eifort is made to people the 
walls and ramparts of the old castles 
with spirits and fairies, gnomes and 
devils. Being exceedingly matter-of-fact 
in our temperament, we threw Kiefer 
overboard, and with Baedeker in one 
hand, and an opera-glass in the other, we 
stood on the watch for something that 
would startle us. But, gentle reader, we 
were not startled, and of all the throng 
of passengers going down stream with 
us, we do realiy believe that we were 
more deeply interested than any one of 
them. About one-third of the whole 
number were eating and drinking all the 
way from Mayence to Cologne. The 
German rule is, " when you have nothing 
else to do, always eat," and, as three- 
fourths of all on board were Germans, the 
waiters had a busy time of it. We no- 
ticed every bend in the river, every change 
in the conformation of its towering rocks, 
the ledgingof the mountain-sides to form 
shelves for the growth of the vine, and 
the remnants of towers and castles. But 
the great m.ass of our passengers were 
apparently as little interested in the 
moving panorama as if they had been 
born on the Rhine and its beauties had 
lost their attractions. A little knot of 
enthusiasts, mostly English and Ameri- 
cans, had fixed themselves near the bow 
of the boat, -where they could see either 
side of the river at a glance. 

FROM MAYENCE TO BINGEN. 

We left the wharf at Mayence at nine 
o'clock, and for the first two hours, until 
we reached Bin gen, the Rhine is about as 
plain and unj^retending a river as the Ohio. 
It has a few venerable-looking old towns, 
whilst those on the Ohio are bright and 
beautiful, and for the first two hours the 
Ohio has decided advantage. The river- 
banks are hidden from view either by 
bushes or marshes, and may be very 
beautiful if the deck was only high 
enough to see over them. Thus it is that 
when taking to the Rhine, even as low 
down as Mayence, a feeling of disappoint- 
ment comes over the tourist. He had 



heard of the wonders of the Rhine, and 
imagined that it was all wonderful, all 
startling, and that he was to encounter a 
succession of such grand and ecstatic 
scenery as can be found nowhere else in 
the wide world. For two hours after 
leaving Mayence, there is but little to 
admire, excepting a few fine villas, built 
close to the water's edge, and surrounded 
by gardens and shrubbery. Small towns 
with their steeples can occasionally be 
seen on the high grounds in the distance, 
but the banks of the river are generally 
low and flat. 

At eleven o'clock, after two hours' run, 
we approached Bingen, which the poets 
have descriljed as " Sweet Bingen on the 
Rhine." It is a very small town, of six 
thousand inhabitants, and, as viewed from 
the river, has a very ancient appearance. 
It is at the mouth of the river Nahe, 
which forms the boundai'y between the 
dominions of the Duke of Darmstadt and 
Prussia. The scenery around it is very 
fine, and perhaps the poet had this in her 
mind when she went into ecstasies over 
Bingen. On a mountain-side, directly 
over it, are the ruins of the old castle of 
Klopp, and on the other side the mountains 
of Roclmsberg and Elisenhohe, on the lat- 
ter of which is a very fine Gothic chateau. 
Here, however, at Bingen, commences 
the beautiful scenery of the Pihine, with 
its vine-clad mountains, and old towers, 
fortresses, and castles. It is that portion 
of the Rhine between Bingen and Cob- 
lentz, where the river forces its way 
through the mountains on either side, 
the passage of which in the olden time 
was controlled by the robber nobles, who 
lived in these old castles, and exacted toll 
from all vessels passing them, amusing 
themselves with occasionally cutting 
each other's throats and storming and 
taking possession of the castles of their 
enemies. In our day they would be 
called pirates or freebooters, but history 
proclaims them noble, some of them 
saints, and monuments to some of them 
are still standing in the towns in the 
vicinity, 

FROM BINGEN TO COBLENTZ. 

This is the only portion of the river 
that can be called attractive. We passed 
Bingen at eleven o'clock, and at one 
o'clock the majestic fortress of Ehren- 
breitstein, Avhich is justly termed the Gi- 
braltar of the Rhine, directly opposite the 
city of Coblentz, loomed up before us. 
Thus the beauties of the Rhine are all 
viewed in two hours' travel, as below 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



141 



Coblentz the river widens to the extent 
of about one mile, and with the excep- 
tion of the seven mountains, as we 
approach Cologne, its shores are generally 
low and flat. Most of the German 
tourists stop a few days at each of the 
prominent points on this portion of the 
river, changing their location after pe- 
destrian tours among the ruins of the 
old castles and the surrounding moun- 
tains. 

Opposite the castle of Klopp, near Bin- 
gen, on a rock in the middle of the Rhine, 
is the Mouse-Tower, which derives 'i\s 
name from the well-known legend of 
Bishop Ilatto, who built this tower as a 
sort of custom-house, where tolls were 
forcibly levied on all passing vessels. lie 
was a great tyrant, and during a famine 
which prevailed bought up all the food in 
the district and sold it at such exorbitant 
prices that the people soon had no more 
money, and were in a starving condition. 
They sent to the bishop a large delega- 
tion, begging for bread, hinting that they 
would take it by force if he did not give 
it to them. He received them very affa- 
bly, and told them to go to a barn, where 
they would be supplied, but no sooner 
were they in the doors, than he closed 
and locked them, and set fire to the barn. 
On hearing their howling cries of pain, he 
exclaimed, " Hear how the corn-mice 
squeak. I treat rebels as I do mice ; 
when I catch them I burn them." The 
legend goes on to say that out of the 
ashes of the barn came legions of mice, 
which swarmed through the castle, com- 
pelling his retainers all to fly, and finally 
to escape them the bishop proceeded to 
his tower in the river, but the insatiable 
mice followed him, and finally gnawed 
the flesh off his bones. This is a sample 
of the legends of these old Rhine castles ; 
but there stand the ruins of the castle and 
of the tower, and, if the story be true, the 
old fellow deserved to be eaten up, even 
if he was not. 

The next tower is Ehrenfels, which was 
erected in 1210. The steep slopes of the 
neighboring mountains form one of the 
finest wine-districts of the Rhine. These 
mountain-sides look from the river as if 
planted almost to their summits with pea- 
vines. Concerning this castle of Ehren- 
fels there is a love-legend, in which a 
horse is the hero. His mistress Avas 
being taken to church by her cruel father 
to marry her to a wicked knight. Just 
as they reached the church-door, the 
horse, instigated by the saints, to whom 
the girl had prayed, ran away, and car- 



ried her to the castle of her true love, both 
the father and the bad knight having 
fallen and broken their necks in the effort 
to overtake her. 

The castle of Falkenburg ccmies next, 
an immense I'uin, which was l>uilt by one 
of the boldest robbers of the Rhine ; then 
follows the tall tower of Sonneck, which 
commanded the entrance to a ravine. 
Sonneck belongs to the Prussian royal 
family, and has recently been entirely 
restored, as one of a number of the finest 
of these old ruins. 

Near the village of Lorchhausen, six 
hundred feet above it, on the mountain- 
side, are the ruins of the castle of Nollin- 
gen, of which the legend records that a 
knight of the Lord, with the assistance 
of certain mountain-spirits, once scaled 
the Devil's Ladder, leading up to it, on 
horseback, and thus gained the hand of 
his lady-love. On a rocky eminence be- 
low this rise the picturesque ruins of the 
castle of Furstenburg, which was several 
times rebuilt and destroyed during the 
last eight hundred years. In 1700, the 
French blew it up for the last time. 
These ruins, as well as those of the great 
castle ofStahleck, which next come to view, 
belong to the royal family of Prussia, and 
it is the intention to rebuild and restore 
them all as nearly as practicable to their 
ancient condition. 

Above the town of Caub, rising in the 
middle of the Rhine, appears the castle 
of Pfalz, reminding one of the Chateau 
d'lf, on the Mediterranean. It was erected 
in the beginning of the thirteenth century, 
as a toll-house for exacting tribute from 
passing vessels. This castle has also a 
love-legend connected with it. 

The stately castle of Gutenfels, which 
must have been one of the largest on the 
Rhine, rises behind the town of Caub. 
History says that it was there, in 1269, 
that the English Earl of Cornwall, then 
Emperor of Germany, became enamored 
of the beautiful Countess Beatrix of 
Falkenstein, and married her. Next 
come the picturesque ruins of the castle 
of Schonberg, the birthplace of Marshal 
Schonberg, who fell in the battle of the 
Boyne, and whose remains are buried in 
Westminster Abbey. The imposing rocks 
of the Lurley were next pointed out to us, 
connected with which is the well-known 
legend of the siren who had her dwelling 
in the rock, and, like the sirens of old, en- 
ticed sailors and fishermen to their de- 
struction in the rapids at the foot of the 
precipice. This has long been a favorite 
theme for the poet and the painter. Next 



142 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



comes the castle of Katz, but it is insig- 
nificant as compared with the ruins of 
Rheinfels, three hundred and ninety-three 
feet above the Rhine, rising back of the 
town of St. Goar, which in 1692 success- 
fully withstood a siege of fifteen months 
by an army of twenty-four thousand men. 
Thurmberg and Deuzenberg,near the town 
of Welmich, erected in 1363, is also an ex- 
tensive ruin, and must have been a most 
formidable castle. 

The nest point of interest is the town 
of Bornhofen, on a rocky eminence, 
above which are the castles of Sonnen- 
berg and Liebenstein, better known as 
the Brothers, connected by a short chine 
of rock. The legend of these castles is 
that Conrad and Ileinrich, sons of the 
Knight Bayer von Boifard, owner of Lie- 
benstein, were both enamored of their 
foster-sister, the beautiful Hildegarde. 
With rare generosity, Ileinrich tore him- 
self away and joined the crusades, leav- 
ing his brother Conrad to win the prize. 
The old knight built the castle of Son- 
nenberg for their reception, but, his death 
occurring before its completion, the nup- 
tials were postponed. Meanwhile, Con- 
rad's heart grew cold towards Hildegarde, 
and, hearing of the valiant deeds of his 
absent brother, he joined the crusades. 
Hildegarde, brooding over her sad lot, 
but not doubting the love and return of 
Conrad, passed her days in the lonely 
castle of Liebenstein. Suddenly Conrad 
returned with a Grecian wife, and Hilde- 
garde, stunned by the blow, shut herself 
up in her castle, refusing to see any one. 
Late one night, Heinrich, hearing of the 
perfidy of his brother, returned to avenge 
his foster-sister's wrongs. He challenged 
Conrad to single combat; but, just as the 
brothers' swords crossed, Hildegarde's 
figure interposed between them and in- 
sisted on a reconciliation, to Avhich they 
reluctantly consented. Hildegarde then 
retired to the convent at the base of the 
rocks. Conrad's Grecian wife soon proved 
unfiiithful, and he, overcome with shame 
and remorse, threw himself on his gener- 
ous brother's breast, and abandoned his 
castle, after which they lived together in 
harmony and retirement at Liebenstein. 

The castle of Marksburg next looms 
up, near Braubach, and is a very impos- 
ing ruin. Konigsstuhl, which was the 
castle where emperors were elected, treat- 
ies concluded, etc., near Kapellan, has 
been partly rebuilt. The castle of Lahn- 
eck, behind Oberlahnstein, is owned by an 
Irish gentleman, Mr. Moriarty, who has 
rebuilt it, and occupies it as his country 



villa. The next and the last of the old 
castles of the Rhine is Stolzenfels, near 
Kapellan, which has been completely re- 
stored, at an expense of a quarter of a 
million of dollars, and attracts numerous 
visitors. Next we approach Coblentz, 
where the narrow and beautiful portion 
of the Rhine terminates, the river spread- 
ing out to more than a mile in width, 
with low and level shores, dotted here 
and there by cities and towns. The 
grandest and most imposing view on the 
river, however, is that of Coblentz and 
the immense castle and fortress of Eh- 
renbreitstein. The Rhine is here spanned 
by two bridges, one of boats, and the 
other an iron railroad-bridge. Ehren- 
breitstein is an immense aifair ; it was first 
built in 1018, but has since been enlarged 
and strengthened and rebuilt, at the cost 
of many millions of dollars. It is on a 
precipitous rock four hundred feet above 
the Rhine, and is unapproachable on 
three sides, whilst the exposed side is de- 
fended by double lines of bastions. It 
has stood many a siege, and was once 
captured by the French and blown up, 
but they were afterwards compelled to 
pay three millions of dollars to the Prus- 
sian government for its restoration. 

BRIDGES OF BOATS. 

On our trip to Cologne we have passed 
half a dozen of these bridges, which are 
similar to those used by our army during 
the war, though of much larger propor- 
tions. They are opened for the passage 
of vessels by floating out a section of the 
boats, and require a large force of men 
to be in constant attendance to draw them 
back into their places against the rapid 
current. They are, however, very cheap 
in their construction, and where labor is 
so low and abundant as it is in Ger- 
many, the attendance of the draw may 
not be so very costly. 

The vessels used upon the river are 
very much like canal-boats, except that 
they are about three hundred feet long. 
They float down stream with the tide, 
and occasionally use their sails, but in 
ascending the river have to be towed by 
steamers, which are very powerful, and 
draw after them a half-dozen of these 
vessels laden with coal or merchandise. 

ENGLISH TOURISTS. 

Among our passengers were a large 
number of young Englishmen, returning 
from the tour of Switzerland. They were 
all gotten up in approved Alpine outfit, — • 
shoes with heavy nails, pants to the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



143 



knees, and blue woolen stockings, short 
shooting-jacket, round-top felt hat, with 
a white scarf or a blue veil around the 
crown, hanging down behind, and alpen- 
stock in hand. They had spent their time 
at the public resorts, but all admitted that 
they had climbed no mountains. "It's 
such deuced hard work, you know," was 
their response to our inquiry. They had 
looked at the Jungfrau from Interlaken, 
got a glimpse of Mont Blanc from Genev.a, 
and sailed upon the lakes. 

A RHINE DINNER. 

Having reached Coblentz at one o'clock, 
the bell summoned us to dinner, and a 
meaner dinner no civilized company was 
ever before asked to partake of. They 
have American boats on the Rhine, but 
no dinner that an American can eat. 
The roast beef had done previous duty in 
the soup-pot, and the juice of the decayed 
stewed plums was served up as sauce for 
a brown-bread pudding. There were 
eight courses, and when the plates were 
removed the knife and fork was left to do 
duty throughout the meal. Up and down 
the table every man and woman could be 
seen between every course scouring knife 
and fork on their napkins, which, when 
the meal was over, all resembled greasy 
dishcloths. We would advise all who go 
down the Rhine to carry some crackers 
and cheese with them, and with a bottle 
of Rhine wine they can make a much 
better dinner than the boat can afford. The 
Germans were generally thus provided, 
and kept clear of tahle-d' Tiote dinner. By 
the time dinner was over, we were within 
an hour's run of Cologne, where we are 
now about to land, at half-past four o'clock 
in the afternoon. 

THE RHINE EXAGGERATIONS. 

It is the historical events connected 
with these old castles that give to the 
Rhine most of the interest with which it 
is viewed. The mountain scenery, the 
vine-clad hills, and the old castles between 
Bingen and Coblentz are well worth see- 
ing, but they lack the natural grandeur 
and ornamentation of the mountains of 
Lake Como, or the rural and scenic beauty 
of Lake Lucerne and Lake Zurich. In 
order to appreciate the beauties of the 
Rhine we were assured that we ought to 
have seen it before going to Switzerland, 
and, we might have added, before seeing 
the Hudson, Lake George, and Lake On- 
tario. To view the Rhine you must go 
down stream on a rapid steamei: fourteen 
hours ; and were it not for the historical 



associations of the ruins and the castles, 
and the poetical fancies of Byron and 
Southey, we think that the Rhine would 
never have obtained the fame it has for 
unrivaled attractions. It has become the 
custom, the world over, to speak of the 
Rhine as the most beautiful of all rivers, 
but we think there are few Americans 
who will admit that it is superior to the 
Hudson, or few honest travelers who will 
claim for it any equality with the lake 
scenery of Italy and Switzerland. The 
Konigs-See, which we visited a few 
weeks since, with its precipitous moun- 
tains seven thousand feet high, and its 
wonderful mountain echo, swelling the 
explosion of a pistol to clap after clap of 
rolling and reverberating crashes of thun- 
der, caused a feeling of ecstasy as some- 
thing above and beyond our expectations ; 
but we have been unable to get up any 
ecstatic feeling of surprise at the scenes 
and sights of the Rhine. It is fine, but 
not grand, and does not come up to the 
high expectations of the tourist, who has 
been reading such startling and poetic 
descriptions of it from his school-days. 
The greater portion of the trip is rather 
tiresome on a croAvded boat, six of the 
eight hours being little more than ordi- 
nary river sailing, with little to claim the 
attention but a wearisome waste of water. 



CITY OF COLOGNE. 

Cologne, August 11, 1873. 

We arrived at Cologne at dusk last 
evening, and never in all our travels were 
we beset by such a horde of ravenous 
porters, commissioners, and hack-drivers. 
They seized hold of and endeavored to 
drag our valises out of our hands, and 
succeeded in so thoroughly separating our 
party that it was ten or fifteen minutes 
before we got together again. When that 
was accomplished, our luggage was scat- 
tered we knew not whither, and, what 
seemed most strange, the finely uniformed 
and accoutred police seemed to encourage 
them in their rascality. After much 
tribulation, we finally got into a carriage, 
and paid the gang of meddlers all the 
small change we had, when we discovered 
that one of the trunks was not in the 
carriage. We called to the driver to put 
it up, when it was seized by another por- 
ter and put upon the top of the carriage, 
who came to the door and demanded pay 
for doing so. We gave him two small 



144 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



German coins, all that we had left, -when 
he demanded more, and his tongue clat- 
tered like a wild man's, as he jerked open 
the carriage-door and made motions and 
gestures as if he Avas about to attempt 
to drag us out of the vehicle. One of 
the military police came up and sus- 
tained the porter, when we pulled the 
carriage-door to and called to the driver 
to go on. We finally got off; and when 
we arrived at the hotel the driver de- 
manded the pay for the porter, and we 
settled with him with the aid of the 
hotel-keeper, giving him much less than 
the coin we had in hand ready to pay 
him for his service alone. 

VIEW OF THE CITY. 

We succeeded in getting excellent quar- 
ters at the Hotel Diseh, and started out 
early this morning to view the city. 
We found the streets very narrow, and 
the pavements in front of the houses 
seldom more than two feet in width, the 
pedestrians taking to the streets along 
with the horses. The stores on these 
narrow streets are very fine, and the dis- 
play of goods equal to that found in al- 
most any European city. But the streets 
proved such a labyrinth, winding to the 
right and left every hundred yards, that 
it was with difficulty we could find our 
way. At no time can the eye command 
the prospect half a square in advance, 
and the stranger must roam about at ran- 
dom amid the almost inextricable maze. 
The houses are well built, and the city 
very clean, although Coleridge many 
years ago wrote of it : 

" Ye nymphs who reign over sewers and sinks, 
The river Khine, it is well known, 
Doth wash your city of Cologne; 
But tell me, nymphs, what power divine 
Shall henceforth wash the river Eliine?" 

Since Coleridge wrote these lines, a 
great change has taken place, and we 
can bear witness that the Cologne of to- 
day is a sweet-smelling city, and worthy 
of its fame as the great depot for the 
manufacture of eau de Cologne, the liquid 
of all Christendom. This article is here 
manufactured in all its purity, and is ex- 
ported in very large quantities. We 
looked in vain in the windows of the dif- 
ferent establishments for the "Grand 
Duchess," which we presume is manu- 
factured exclusively for the Baltimore 
market. 

The population of Cologne is about one 
hundred and thirty thousand, including 
that of its suburb Deutz, with which it is 
connected by a bridge of boats. It is the 



third city in importance in the kingdom 
of Prussia, and is built in the form of 
a crescent, which may account for its 
crooked streets. The walls of the city 
form a circuit of nearly seven miles, and 
are strongly fortified. 

CATHEDRAL OF COLOGNE. 

This immense structure, which looms 
up so high over the surrounding build- 
ings, is the only guide-post which the 
stranger has to assist him in threading his 
way through its labyrinth of streets. It is 
the glory of Cologne, and when completed 
will almost rival the great Cathedral of 
Milan as a specimen of Gothic architecture, 
although its spires will reach a much great- 
er altitude. It was commenced over six 
hundred years ago, but is still unfinished. 
The work is now rapidly progressing, 
nearly two million dollars having been 
expended upon it during the past forty 
years by the kings of Prussia, and we 
could see that much work has been done 
since we visited it last year. The face of 
the marble of that portion first construct- 
ed is crumbling Avith age, whilst the rest 
of the building seems entirely ncAv. The 
body of the structure is completed, and 
the work is now progressing upon the 
towers. The two main ones, when com- 
pleted, Avill be five hundred and seven 
feet high. The length of the building is 
five hundred feet, its breadth two hundred 
and thirty, and the height of the choir 
one hundred and sixty one. There is a 
society formed, with branches all over 
Europe, for the purpose of soliciting 
money for the completion of this cathe- 
dral, it being estimated that about one 
million dollars more will be required for 
that purpose. 

Behind the high altar is the Chapel of 
the Magi, or the three Kings of Cologne. 
We were assured by the custodian that 
the silver case contains the bones of the 
three wise men who came from the East 
to Bethlehem to offer their pjresents to the 
infant Chi-ist, and that the case, which is 
ornamented with precious stones, and the 
surrounding valuables in the chapel, are 
Avorth six million dollars. The remains 
of the wise men are said to have been 
presented to the Archbishop of Cologne 
by the Emperor Barbarossa, when he 
captured the city of Milan, which at that 
time possessed these wonderful relics. 
The skulls of the Magi, crowned Avith 
diamonds, with their names written in 
rubies, are shoAvn to the curious on the 
payment of six francs by a party, and 
charges are made for admission to the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



145 



choir and gallery. Among the numerous 
relics exhibited in the sacristy is a bone 
of St. Matthew, whose bones seem to be 
scattered all over Europe. In the Chapel 
of St. Agnes there are some very fane 
paintings, including one of St. Ursula, 
Avith her seven thousand virgins. 

RELICS OF ST. URSULA. 

Cologne abounds in sacred relics, and 
those in the Church of St. Ursula present 
one of the most remarkable sights in 
Christendom. The tradition of St. Ursula 
is this : She was the daughter of the King 
of Brittany, who sailed up the Rhine as 
far as Basle, and then, accompanied by 
eleven thousand virgins, made a pilgrim- 
age to Rome. From Basle she traveled 
on foot, and was received with great 
honors at the holy city by the Pope. On 
her return the whole party was barbar- 
ously murdered by the Iluns because 
they refused to Ijreak their vows of 
chastity. St. Ursula was accompanied by 
her lover, Conan, and an escort of knights. 
St. Ursula and Conan suffered death in 
the camp of the Emperor Maximin. Ur- 
sula was placed in the Calendar as the 
patron saint of chastity, and the bones 
(if all the attendant virgins were gathered 
together, and the pi-csent church erected 
to contain the sacred relics. On every 
side you turn, skulls and arm- and leg- 
bones meet your eye, piled on shelves 
built in the wall. In every direction 
these hideous relics stare you in the 
face. Hood says it is the chastest kind 
of architecture. St. Ursula herself is ex- 
hibited in a coflSn which is surrounded 
by the skulls of a few of her favorite 
attendants. The room in which she is 
laid contains numerous other relics •, 
among these are the chains with which St. 
Peter was bound, and one of the clay 
vessels used by the Saviour at the mar- 
riage in Cana. We saw two other chains 
with which St. Peter was bound in Rome. 

HO I FOR PARIS. 

We start this evening for Paris, and 
expect to spend a few weeks in that 
beautiful city. 



FRANCE. 
THE CITY OF PARIS. 

Hotel de l'Athenee, Paris, Aug. 12, 1873. 
We left Cologne at half-past ten o'clock 
at night, and reached the Paris depot at 
10 



ten o'clock on Sunday morning. On our 
way to the hotel we observed that many 
of the stores were open and their goods 
displayed, whilst workmen were busily 
pursuing their avocations, such as house- 
building, street-paving, etc., though the 
great mass of the population were on the 
streets, moving about in their Sunday at- 
tire. 

GAYETY OF PARIS. 

Paris never appeared more " gay and 
happy" than it is at present. The people 
are rejoicing over the departure of the 
German troops from the provinces, and 
the payment of the last installment of the 
indemnity to Prussia. The days of their 
humiliation, which they have borne with 
commendable fortitude, have passed, and 
they now look forward to revenge and 
retribution. They are justly proud of 
the bravery they have exhibited under 
adversity, as Avell as of the recuperative 
power of the nation which has been 
so strongly displayed. Whilst engaged 
in paying this enormous indemnity, the 
Avork of restoring and beautifying Paris 
has gone steadily on, with a determina- 
tion that every outward mark of her hu- 
miliation shall be removed as rapidly as 
possible. The rebuilding of the Tuileries 
has not been checked, but the mansard 
roofs are now to have frameworks of iron 
instead of wood. 

The great and crowning work of resto- 
ration has been commenced in the Place 
Vendome. The base left of the Vendome 
column has now erected around it, and 
towering above it, a massi.ve scaffolding 
to the altitude of two hundred feet, and a 
throng of men Avere yesterday at Avork 
putting up the tackling and guy-ropes 
necessary for the commencement of its 
erection. The large open space around 
the column has been inclosed with a high 
fence, and inside of this inclosure the 
stone and plates, many of the latter 
having been recast, are being piled up 
preparatory to the work of reconstruction. 
One year more, and the Vendome column 
will be restored, and the question Avill in 
the mean time be decided Avhether it Avill 
be again surmounted by a statue of Na- 
poleon or the Goddess of Liberty. The 
work on the Academy of Music has also 
steadily progressed, and it is thought that 
in one year more the ornamental work 
of the interior Avill be completed. 

PARIS AND VIENNA. 

The hotels of Paris are doing a much 
more extensive business than those of 
Vienna, notwithstanding the great Expo- 



146 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



sition. To secure rooms in any of the 
large hotels here, it is necessary to tele- 
graph in advance of your arrival. Vis- 
itors to Paris come to make a prolonged 
stay, whilst those going to Vienna rush 
through the Exposition and immediately 
pack their trunks for departure. The 
Exposition, instead of benefiting Vienna, 
will be a permanent injury to it, and 
Paris will be more popular than ever. It 
is the only city in Europe that could have 
rivaled Paris, but it has lost its opportu- 
nity. There are hundreds of Americans 
here who have given up all idea of going 
to Vienna, mainly on account of the bad 
reputation it has secured for itself in the 
matter of plundering strangers. Paris 
has profited by the fate of Vienna, and 
is more fair and liberal than ever in its 
treatment of tourists. There are no com- 
plaints in any quarter, and the cost of 
living is less here than it was last year. 

PARIS BY GAS-LIGHT. 

The boulevards of Paris, extending for 
miles through almost all sections of the 
city, present a gay scene at night. The 
thousands of cafes, brilliant Avith gas-jets, 
have their tallies out on the broad pave- 
ments, and from eight to ten o'clock in 
the evening it is difficult to obtain a seat 
at any of them. Ice-cream and coffee is 
the extent of the Parisian's indulgence, 
though a few add a little cognac to their 
coffee. They spend their summer even- 
ings in promenading the boulevards and 
occasionally stopping for a cup of their 
favorite beverage. The sidewalks of the 
boulevards are at least thirty-five feet 
wide, and in many prominent places wo- 
men are stationed along the curb-stones 
with chairs to rent, on which those who 
are tired may for a few centimes rest 
themselves and view the promenaders as 
they pass. The broad streets are also 
filled with carriages, so that it is difficult 
to effect a crossing. They are required 
by law to have their lamps burning. 
Strangers in the city who w^ish to view 
these gas-light scenes generally engage 
carriages and drive slowly through the 
different boulevards, and vast numbers 
of carriages are constantly passing to 
and from the various places of amuse- 
ment. Everybody seems happy and in- 
tent upon enjoyment. The people of 
Vienna are equally fond of this out-door 
life, but prefer to assemble in the gardens 
and listen to the music of their unrivaled 
bands. Eating, and drinking beer and 
coffee, seem to employ all the leisure hours 
of the Viennese. They seldom care to 



walk, the streets of Vienna being com- 
paratively deserted at night, and most of 
the stores closed. The very reverse is the 
case in Paris. The stores are not only 
brilliantly lighted, but nearly all of them 
have rows of gas-lights on the outside, 
making the streets almost as light as day. 
The display of the stores last night on 
the Boulevard des Capucines exceeded 
anything we had ever before seen even in 
Paris. It seemed as if all the goods in 
the grand central building of the Vienna 
Exposition were spread among these mag- 
nificent estalilishments. The tastei'ul ar- 
rangement of the goods, the disposition 
of the lights, and the reflection in the 
side-glasses with which the shop-windows 
are always provided, presented a continu- 
ous spectacle of surpassing beauty. Ten 
years ago the Palais Royal was the great 
central attraction of Paris, but the boule- 
vard stores have so greatly excelled these 
small establishments that it is now com- 
paratively deserted at night. The hun- 
dreds of jewelers' windows were spark- 
ling with diamonds and precious stones, 
and even the fancy and dry-goods stores 
tried to excel one another in the effort to 
attract the attention of the throngs of 
promenaders. 

We walked through some of these cen- 
tral boulevards for nearly two hours, and 
everywhere the pavements were so filled 
that it was difficult for three to walk 
abreast without being continually jostled 
by the promenaders. This was also the 
case in the arcades running through the 
interior of the squares, where the display 
was equally attractive. The best possible 
order was everywhere preserved, and the 
gensdarmes, with their huge cavalry- 
swords, stood like statues on the corners 
of the streets, having no occasion to 
do more than remain quietly at their 
posts. There being no cobble-stone pave- 
ments in Paris, the carriages and omni- 
buses make little or no noise as they 
glide along on the smooth asphaltum, nor 
is there any dust for them to stir up to 
vex the eyes and lungs of the people. 
The sweeping-machines are going all 
night and until ten o'clock in the morn- 
ing, making the streets as clean as they 
could be swept with a corn-broom by 
hand, and lest any dust should be left in 
the crevices they are washed off with 
hose. In short, Paris is grand. She has 
passed through her tribulations, and has 
again presented herself to the world 
more beautiful and attractive than ever. 
That the world is pleased is evident from 
the many thousands of strangers no^v 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



147 



linc^ering here to enjoy the brilliant spec- 
tacle. 

SOCIAL STATISTICS OF PARIS. 

The population of Paris at the last cen- 
sus, taken this year, was one million 
eight hundred and fifty-one thousand 
seven hundred and ninety-two souls, or 
about six times as many as the city of 
Baltimore, and double that of New York. 
This number is exclusive of strangers, so 
that the whole population must average 
nearly two millions. The number of 
deaths of males in Paris always exceeds 
that of females by several thousand, al- 
though the females are most numerous. 
This is such a marked feature of Parisian 
life that families constantly residing in 
Paris soon become extinct ; that is to say, 
the name disappears on account of the 
death of the male children. The statis- 
tics, notwithstanding, show a considerable 
excess of male children born in the city 
annually. The vital statistics of the city 
show these facts, which may probably be 
owing to the loose life led by so many of 
the young men of the rising generation. 
The philosophers can give no satisfactory 
reason for this anomaly, as the health oi> 
the city is undoubtedly good. 

Of the population of Paris nearly one- 
half are reported as working-people. 
There are about eighty thousand servants 
and one hundred and fifteen thousand 
paupers. Nearly twenty-one thousand 
patients are always in the hospitals, and 
four times that number pass through 
them in the course of the year. The cost 
of maintaining the hospitals and other 
establishments for the relief of the poor 
during the past year is set down at the 
enormous sum of twenty-two million 
three hundred and forty-six thousand 
francs. All public places of amusement 
pay a tax of eight per cent, on their re- 
ceipts towards the support of the hos- 
pitals, and a heavy tax for their support 
is levied upon every piece of ground pur- 
chased for the purpose of burial in the 
cemeteries. Private munificence also 
contributes largely towards their main- 
tenance. During the past year the tax 
on theatres and places of amusement 
amounted to one million seven hundred 
thousand francs. With a population so 
large, a proportion of which is merely 
able to make a living whilst in health, 
it is necessary to have an abundance of 
hospitals for them when sick. 

THE DEAD OF PARIS. 

The whole arrangements for burying , 
the dead, and furnishing coffins, carriages, ' 



and all the requisites for funerals, are in 
the hands of an incorporated company, no 
one else having the right to interfere with 
the business. In fact, it is, like the to- 
bacco business, a source of large revenue 
to the government. The monopoly is 
granted to this incorporated company 
under the title of Entreprise des Ponipes 
Euntbres, whose principal office is at 10 
Rue Alibert, whilst it has branch-offices 
in each of the arrondissements into which 
the city is divided. The officers of this 
company take charge of the body, and pre- 
pare for the funeral upon just such a 
scale and at such expense as the family 
may desire. Their schedule of prices is 
such as to suit the purses of all parties, 
and they are required to bury the very 
poor gratuitously. A " first-class fu- 
neral" is set down on the schedule as 
costing seven thousand one hundred and 
eighty-one francs (about one thousand 
five hundred dollars), the cost of each 
item of expense being enumerated. There 
are nine other classes, the lowest costing 
eighteen francs and seventy-five centimes, 
including the religious ceremonies. There 
are, however, no limits to the cost of first- 
class funerals, as it depends altogether 
upon the means of the family and its 
desire for funeral pomp. The horses, 
hearses, carriages, and drivers are all of 
a different character for each of these ten 
classes, the difference being in the age 
and spirit of the horses, the good looks 
of the drivers, the quality of their cloth- 
ing, the harness of the horses, the ancient 
or modern build of the carriages, etc. 
The hearse is graded from a splendid 
structure down to a hand-cart, and the 
extremely poor are merely furnished with 
a hand-barrow to enable the friends to 
carry the body on their shoulders to the 
grave. The quality of the grave-clothes, 
of the coffin, and of everything else, is 
graded to the price, as they may be or- 
dered, from class No. 1 to class No. 10. 
Besides getting the dead poor buried 
without cost, the government receives 
from the company thirty-three and a 
third per cent, on the produce of funeral 
ornaments, and fifteen per cent, on that 
of all other articles furnished. The reve- 
nue from these sources is quite large, and, 
as the cemeteries are also the property of 
the city government, the dead, as well as 
the living, contribute their quota to beauti- 
fying Paris. The dead poor are allowed to 
occupy the ground for only five years, 
when their bones are carted off", jjrobably 
for agricultural purposes, and the space 
they occupied is given to some new claim- 



148 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



ant for the privileges of the soil. There 
are three kinds of graves in the ceme- 
teries, even for those who pay for the 
right of sepulture. Some persons pur- 
chase the perpetual right for their friends 
to occupy the soil, but it is generally con- 
ceded for five years or more, subject to 
renewal. If not renewed, the bones are 
taken up, and the ground is prepared for 
lease to some new-comer. In the common 
graves, or, as they are called, fosses com- 
munes, the poor are gratuitously buried 
four and a half feet deep in coffins placed 
close to, but not on top of, each other. 
This economizes space, as well as saves 
labor in their removal when the five 
years have expired. 

Among the items of city receipts last 
year in Paris are the following : Dues on 
burials, 690,000 francs ($120,000) ; sale 
of lands in cemeteries, 1,54(3,000 francs 
($255,000). We do not, however, find 
any return for the sale of human bones, 
which is probably a perquisite of the 
grave-digger. 

PARISIAN FOUNDLINGS. 

The official returns of the hospitals of 
Paris show that of the fifty-five thousand 
births in the city during the past year, 
fifteen thousand three hundred and sixty- 
six were illegitimate. The proportion 
of illegitimates to the number of inhabit- 
ants is not quite up to that of Vienna, 
which has ten thousand for one million 
inhabitants, whilst the population of 
Paris is nearly two millions. In various 
parts of Paris boxes called toiirs are es- 
tablished, each of which revolves upon 
a pivot, and, on a bell being rung, is 
turned around by the person inside to re- 
ceive the child that may have been de- 
posited in it, without attempting to ascer- 
tain who the parents are. The child is 
taken to a hospital and cared for, and so 
soon as a nurse from the country can 
be procured, it is given into her charge. 
Nurses from the country, of good charac- 
ter, are alwaj-s applying for these infants. 
The nurses are paid by the city from four 
francs to eight francs per month, accord- 
ing to the age of the child, care being 
taken to assign the children to nurses liv- 
ing as far as possible from their birth- 
places. After the second year, the nurse 
may give the child up, when, if no other 
nurse can be found for it, it is transferred 
to the Orphan Department. Sometimes 
the nurses become so attached to the 
children that they retain them. The 
number of children thus placed out in the 
country to nurse is about four thousand 



annually. The abolition, in some of the 
departments, of this humane custom of re- 
ceiving these little waifs and asking no 
questions has caused infanticide to be- 
come very frequent. As for infanticide 
before birth, the number is said to have 
doubled and trebled in some districts, and 
to have risen to four and five times the 
usual amount in others. The average 
number of foundlings maintained at the 
Paris Hospital is four thousand four hun- 
dred. At the age of twelve the boys are 
bound apprentice to some trade at the ex- 
pense of the city. A portion of one hun- 
dred and forty-eight francs is awarded 
by the city to female foundlings when 
they marry, provided their conduct has 
been unexceptionable throughout. 

The Hospice des Enfants Assises, 
founded in 1640 by St. Vincent of Paul, 
is for the reception of foundlings. For a 
child to be received at this hospital, how- 
ever, it is necessary that a certificate of 
abandonment be produced, signed by 
a Commissary of Police. The Com- 
missary is bound to admonish the mother 
or party abandoning the child, and to 
procure for them assistance from the hos- 
pital fund in case of their consenting to 
retain and support the child. Every en- 
couragement is thus given to those who 
relinquish the idea of abandoning their 
oflspring and consent to support them at 
home. Of the children received at this 
hospital, those that are healthy are put 
out in the country to nurse, whilst those 
that are sickly are retained at the hos- 
pital until they die or recover. The 
number of beds in this hospital is about 
six hundred, and the children annually 
sent from it to the country are about three 
thousand four hundred. The children 
are first placed in a general reception- 
room, called La Creche, where they are 
visited in the morning by the physicians 
and assigned to the difi'erent infirmaries. 
In each of these infirmaries, as well as in 
La Creche, cradles are placed around the 
walls in rows, and several nurses are con- 
stantly employed in attending to them. 
An inclined bed is placed in front of the 
fire, on which the children who require it 
are laid, and chairs are ranged in a warm 
corner, in which those of sufficient age 
and strength sit part of the day. Every- 
thing is admirably conducted, and to all 
outward appearances they are kindly and 
humanely cared for. 

THE LOVE OF DOGS. . 

All over Europe the love of dogs among 
both sexes is remarkable, although they 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



149 



are made to work in Switzerland and 
some parts of Germany. Here in Paris 
it is quite common to see a mother drag- 
ging her almost infant child by the hand, 
weary and fretful, and carrying a dog in 
her arms, which she will occasionally 
stop to kiss, or dispose of so as to make 
it more comfortable. This trait is pecu- 
liar to no one class, but all seem to have 
a strong affection for the dog. To see a 
lady at her door or window without a 
lap-dog is almost a novelty, whilst many 
of them carry them in their arms or lead 
them by a ribbon in the streets. The 
corners are posted Avith handbills of hos- 
pitals for dogs, where the best medical 
attendance can be had, and dog-medicines 
and do4 -soaps are placarded in all direc- 
tions. On the boulevards, at night, the 
dealers in dogs are constantly perambu- 
lating with two or three pups in their 
arms, and ladies will stop and bargain 
for them on the public thoroughfare. 
They teach them all manner of tricks, 
and they are valued according to the 
education they have received and the in- 
telligence they display. When they travel 
they take a nurse with them to attend to 
the wants and comfort of the dog, and 
these nurses can be seen in the public 
squares airing and exercising the dogs, 
and leading them by ribbons. Some idea 
of the extent of this dog mania may be 
obtained from the fact that the dog-tax 
paid into the city treasury last year was 
four hundred and twenty thousand francs, 
or nearly one hundred thousand dollars. 
The men, also, have their dogs, but not to 
such a great extent as the ladies. The lap- 
dogs are mostly beautiful little animals, as 
white as snow, and are kept scrupulously 
clean, more care being evidently bestowed 
on them in this respect than many of the 
children receive from their mothers. 

Paris, August 16, 1873. 

YANKEE DOODLE IN PARIS. 

The throng of Americans coming to 
Paris from all parts of the Continent 
averages two or three hundred per day, 
and more than half the guests in all the 
principal hotels are of the same nation- 
ality. The L'Athenee has two hundred 
and ninety-nine of its rooms occupied by 
Americans, and one occupied by a Rus- 
sian. At the Grand Hotel, which has six 
hundred rooms, the proportion is not so 
great, but nearly all are Americans or 
English. The itinerant musicians who 
drop in at the hotel court-yards invariably 
wind up with the " Star-Spangled Ban- 
ner" or " Yankee Doodle," and the lady 



guests strike up these national airs on the 
piano in the parlor whenever they go in 
for practice. One little specimen of 
Young America persists in playing 
"Yankee Doodle" every morning before 
the time for us stroUin"; mortals to be 
getting out of bed. In the dining-room, 
the reading-room, and all through the 
passages of the house, the only language 
spoken is English, and all the waiters 
speak it fluently. The only persons who 
speak French are the chamber»M«/(?s, who, 
by the way, are all men. They make the 
beds, sweep the rooms, till the pitchers, 
etc., and there is one female in each story 
who follows after them with a duster, to 
see that all is right and straightened up 
as it should be. The females superintend 
the chambers, but the men do all the 
work. This is reversing the usual order 
of things, but it seems to work very sat- 
isfactorily here, whei-e men are willing to 
work for women's wages, and are happy 
if they can get enough to eat without re- 
sorting to laboring work. They probably 
receive more money from the guests than 
their wages would be as common laborers. 

A GRAND FETE-DAY. 

Yesterday was what is called in Paris 
"Mary's Day," the greatest and most 
strictly observed religious festival of the 
year. The stores were more generally 
closed than on Sunday, and all manner 
of business was religiously suspended 
until the evening. Most of the large 
stores were closed all day, and the Amer- 
ican ladies intent on shopping were com- 
pelled to take holiday also. For two days 
past, in anticipation of this festival, all 
the prominent squares have been occu- 
pied by the florists and flower-girls, and 
all the vacant stores occupied by the dis- 
play of plants and bouquets. It is cus- 
tomary for the friends of every lady 
named Mary, all of whom are dedicated 
to the Virgin in their infancy, to present 
her with either a bouquet or a blooming 
plant on the morning of the festival of 
Mary, and in the evening people carrying 
home flower-pots were as common as 
those with bundles of toys on Christmas 
eve in an American city. The display 
of flowers was everywhere very elegant, 
and there is perhaps no other people 
whose love of flowers is so distinguishing 
a trait as those of France. 

In order to Avitness the religious ob- 
servance of the fete, we repaired at an 
early hour to the Madeleine, where high 
mass was in progress. The altars were 
all dressed in flowers, but the side-altar, 



150 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



with a statue of the Virtjia and Child, 
was literally massed with bouquets. At 
one side of the altar was an iron rack 
with sharp prongs, on which were burn- 
ing more than a hundred tallow candles, 
and others were constantly being added 
to them by an old lady in attendance. 
It seems that it is customary for all ladies 
and children named Mary to bring to the 
church at which they attend a candle, to 
be burnt near the altar of the Virgin, 
and that this old lady was receiving and 
lighting the offerings as fast as they were 
handed to her. The music of the services 
was very fine, and two civilians stood on 
the steps of the main altar to assist the 
officiating clergyman in the chants and 
intonations. We passed the Madeleine 
and other churches during the morning, 
and up to one o'clock there was a contin- 
uous throng of people passing in and out 
of them. 

The religious observance of the festival 
closed atone o'clock, and the balance of 
the day was given up to rejoicing and 
merry-making. The Champs Elysees was 
massed with people during the afternoon 
and evening, and all manner of amuse- 
ments were injjrogress. After five o'clock 
the broad drive to the Bois de Boulogne, 
through the Arch of Triumph, was 
thronged with vehicles, it being the am- 
bition of the Parisian to secure a carriage 
for himself and family and to spend his 
fete-day in driving to the Bois de Bou- 
logne. The number of these open car- 
riages in Paris is incredible, and they are 
so cheap, two and a half francs per hour, 
holding four persons, that they are used 
by every one. There are omnibuses, but 
no railways on the streets, and for a party 
of four the carriages are nearly as cheap 
as the omnibus, and much more pleasant 
and desirable, as the drivers seem to 
know every street in this immense city, 
and drop you at any point you may name. 

It would be impossible to attempt to 
describe the scene last night on the bou- 
levards. We shall endeavor in another 
portion of this letter to picture their ap- 
pearance on ordinary occasions ; but on 
the evening of this fete-day the scene was 
more bright and brilliant than ever, and 
the throng of people so great that it was 
at times impossilde to move along the 
sidewalks. The stores were mostly closed, 
but the cafes were illuminated with more 
than ordinary brilliancy. We finally gave 
up the attempt to promenade, and secured 
seats at one of the cafes on the Place de 
rOpera, and had a fine view of the moving 
panorama. 



The observance of Mary's Day was, 
however, so far as the suspension of busi- 
ness was concerned, much more general 
than it is on Sunday throughout Paris. 
With the exception of the cafes and cigar- 
stores, nearly all were closed throughout 
the day and evening, and all manner of 
mechanical work was suspended. 

THE PARIS BOULEVARDS. 

Those of our citizens whose experience 
of city life is confined to Baltimore, or 
even those who have made an occasional 
visit to New York, would be startled if 
they were to be transported to the Boule- 
vard des Italiens or Capucines, or indeed 
to be suddenly set down on a warm sum- 
mer evening anywhei-e within the extend- 
ed limits of the city of Paris. Such stir- 
ring scenes can be witnessed nowhere else 
in the world. London is as dull of au 
evening as Baltimore ; the people of Vi- 
enna live under the trees after sun-down. 
All Paris is adrift before the lamps are 
lit, and thronging towards its great thor- 
oughfares, which are soon blazing with 
gas-lights for their reception and enjoy- 
ment. There are no streets in any other 
city like these boulevards, which are from 
house to house one hundred and sixty feet 
wide, ninety feet being given to the car- 
riage-way, and thirty-five feet on each 
side for the pavements. Fine rows of 
trees line the curb-stones, and the car- 
riage-way is mostly asphaltnm. Let the 
reader just imagine this carriage-way so 
filled with carriages and omnibuses that 
it is necessary to eS'ect a crossing to wait 
and watch an opportunity of dodging 
your way between them, and generally 
being compelled to stop in the middle to 
take a fresh start. The pedestrian is ex- 
pected to get out of the way of the car- 
riages, which never turn aside or hold up 
for any one. They dash on at full speed ; 
hence it is necessary to keep a sharp look- 
out to avoid being run down. To look 
up or down one of the boulevards at 
night, reminds one of a torch-light pro- 
cession, everv vehicle being required to 
carry two bri-ht lights. Thus it will be 
seen that, wide as the carriage-way is, it 
is none too wide for the rush of vehicles. 
The moving mass of promenaders on the 
pavements is also so great that it often 
becomes necessary to stop and stand aside 
until there is an opportunity of moving 
on. Along the curb-stones are lines of 
chairs for rent, and the thousands of cafes 
are allowed to occupy a1)out eight or ten 
feet along their front with their refresh- 
ment-tables, where the people sit and 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



151 



rest, and refresh themselves with coffee 
and ices. 

The untraveled reader will imagine 
that there are two or three of these broad 
streets in Paris, and that the whole popu- 
lation masses at night on these. This is 
true with regard to the better classes, who 
are generally to be found on the Italiens, 
Capucines, Haussmann, and other central 
boulevards ; but many of the others are 
equally thronged but not so brilliant. 
There are in the city of Paris fifty-seven 
of these wide thoroughfares, called boule- 
vards, running in every direction, and all 
teeming at night with life and animation. 
Indeed, the whole city seems to be abroad 
at night, and every class has its popular 
localities for congregating in. 

But to understand and to properly ap- 
preciate the view on these boulevards it 
must be borne in mind that the houses 
lining them are nearly all of uniform 
construction, none less than five stories 
high, and many of them towering up to 
six and seven stories, including the man- 
sard roofs. The ground-floors are one 
continuous line of stores and cafes, with 
the exception of those of a few private 
mansions distant from the central portions 
of the city, but many of these have stores 
below. On the principal Ijoulevards the 
first, second, and third stories are gener- 
ally devoted to business, and at night are 
all brilliantly lighted. 

PARIS UNDERGROUND. 

On retiring last evening we were star- 
tled by hearing some one, apparently 
under our window, ranting through por- 
tions of Othello. We looked out into 
the court-yard, but could see nothing but 
a skylight down where the pavement 
ought to be. A band of music would 
occasionally perform some operatic air, 
and then " the tearing of passion to tat- 
ters" would be renewed again, inter- 
spersed with milder male and female 
voices. It continued till nearly eleven 
o'clock, and we rose at a loss to know 
what it all meant. This morning, on sur- 
veying the building, we found that there 
was a theatre attached to the Hotel I'Athe- 
nee, and that the skylight down in the 
yard under our window was the dome 
over the parquet. Mr. Swinbourne, 
the English tragedian, was perfirming 
Othello in English to an audience nearly 
all American, which was then being re- 
peated for the ninth time. The theatre, 
which is about the size of one of our 
smaller establishments, is down in the 
bowels of the earth, under the hotel, out 



of the way of all noise and confusion. 
It is a very elegant little affair, and quite 
a fashionable resort for the Parisians. 
In Vienna we frequently took our meals 
in a very elegant saloon, considerably 
larger than the Assembly Rooms, and 
with quite as high a ceiling, which 
was down under a row of six-stoi'y build- 
ings, the skylight of which protruded a 
few feet above the pavement of the court- 
yard ; but we were not prepared to find 
an underground theatre, and that we 
were sleeping up four flights of stairs, 
directly over a stage on which Othello 
was smothering the gentle Desderaona 
with a pillow. Ground is costly in Paris, 
and they make the best possible use of 
it. When you build the new American 
office, be sure to have an Academy of 
Music down under the press-room, with 
a sky-parlor box for Mr. Keyser, the 
pressman, and his engineer and " feeders." 

BEAUTIFUL PARIS. 

Paris, August 18, 1873. 
It is not an easy matter at this late day 
to write letters from Paris that will inter- 
est and instruct. It is a city which every- 
body is familiar with, it having been so 
often described, and its attractions and 
beauties so vividly spread before the gen- 
eral reader that it would almost seem like 
undertaking to write something new about 
Baltimore. We have visited it so often, 
and ridden and walked through its multi- 
farious thoroughfares until all its crooks 
and turns are as familiar to us as those of 
any of our leading American cities. Still 
there is something about Paris that makes 
it always appear bright, gay, and spark- 
ling to the visitor. The Parisian does 
not worship the ", dust of ages," or take 
pride in smoked and begrimed walls, as 
the Londoner does. If he has anything 
that is handsome he tries to make it hand- 
somer, lie is always rubbing, scrubbing, 
and polishing old things, or tearing them 
down to make room for something new and 
more beautiful. The four handsome clus- 
ters of gas-lamps in the centre of tlie Place 
de rOpera are not only kept as bright and 
elegant as they were the day they were 
put up, but the elaborate bronze lamp- 
posts are polished with as much regularity 
as the glasses of the lamps. If the slight- 
est defect is observed in one stone in the 
street, it is relaid or replaced by a new 
one ; and if a flaM' in the asphaltum as 
large as a man's hand is discovered, a re- 
pairing party is at work in a few hours, 
and the defect removed. Every tenant is 
held responsible for the cleanliness of the 



152 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



street before his own door, and neither 
dirt nor rubbish of any kind is permitted. 
As in public matters, so also in those of 
private concern. They never allow their 
houses or store fronts to become dull or 
dinf^y. They make them handsome and 
they keep them handsome. They are al- 
ways arranging and rearranging the 
goods in their windows and striving to 
make them more attractive. All these 
scores of miles of boulevards are planted 
with sycamore-trees. When they plant 
trees they take good care that they shall 
have a fair chance to grow, and they are 
all flourishing beautifully. Around each 
tree an iron grating, extending three feet 
each way, is inserted in the pavement, in 
order that its roots may have breathing- 
room and water. There are hundreds of 
thousands of these trees all thus planted, 
and all tended and watered by the city 
authorities. If one should happen to die, 
a tree of similar size is brought to take its 
place, that the uniformity may be un- 
broken. These trees are the pride of 
Paris, and are yearly becoming more ser- 
viceable as a shade to the broad sidewalks 
as well as a grand ornament to the boule- 
vards. 

Thus it is that the attractions of Paris 
are always increasing. No rust or decay 
is permitted, and old things are swept 
away as having served their day and gen- 
eration. Antiquity has no M-orshipers, 
and is made to yield to the spirit of im- 
provement. New squares, gardens, and 
fountains are following the march of im- 
provement in the subui'bs, and even in 
those quarters of the city where the 
poorer classes mostly reside, these pleas- 
ure-grounds are being fitted up as ele- 
gantly as in the wealthier sections. Paris 
is not beautiful in spots, but every por- 
tion of it abounds in attractions. 

THE ABATTOIRS OF PARIS. 

These establishments are located on the 
suburbs of the city, the buildings of 
which cover sixty-seven acres of land 
near the fortifications between the Canals 
de rOurcq and St. Denis. The slaughter- 
ing of cattle of all descriptions is re- 
quired 1)y law to be done here, the average 
per week being tAvo thousand beeves, eight 
hundred cows, a thousand calves, and ten 
thousand sheep. There are, also, a good 
number of horses slaughtered, their meat 
being sold to the poor, it having been 
found during the siege to be quite palatable. 
Worn-out horses are fattened and sold to 
the butchers, the supply from the carriage 
and omnibus stalls being very extensive. 



The principal entrance to these exten- 
sive slaughter-houses is by the Rue de 
Flandre. It is inclosed by an elegant 
iron railing, with eleven gates for en- 
trance and exit, and its numerous build- 
ings give it the appearance of an inclosed 
town. There are now sixty-four pavil- 
ions in active operation, some of which 
are reserved for stalls, in which the cat- 
tle awaiting their doom arc kept. The 
others are divided into one hundred and 
twenty-three places of slaughter, called 
" echaudoirs." The cleanliness which 
prevails throughout is admirable. Every 
echaudoir is provided with abundance of 
water, and the stone floor is scrupulnusly 
scoured every time an animal has been 
killed, and the foul water runs ofi" into 
sewers intersecting the grounds in every 
direction. The ventilation is also excel- 
lent, so that, even at this season of the 
year, there are no foul smells about this 
extensive establishment. At the entrance 
to each there is a strong iron ring im- 
movably fixed in the ground. Through 
this ring the rope is made to pass which 
has previously been secured to the horns 
of the animal to be slaughtered. The 
rope is then drawn tight by means of 
a pulley, and when the victim's head has 
l)een forced down as much as possible, 
it receives the death-blow with a heavy 
club. There are also on the premises 
buildings called iriperies, where tripe and 
calves' feet are washed and boiled, melt- 
ing-houses for tallow, with attics for dry- 
ing skins, lofts for fodder, etc. Cattle 
and sheep are kept here at the butchei-'s 
expense. The slaughter-men get from 
one franc to one and a half francs for 
each animal, besides the entrails, brains, 
and blood. The butcher-shops in the 
metropolis, which are daily supplied from 
the abattoir, number eight hundred and 
sixty-nine. 

WAGES IN PARIS. 

From an official inquiry set on foot by 
the Chamber of Commerce of Paris, it 
appears that there are employed in the 
various trades and manufactories 407,311 
hands, of whom about 300,000 are men, 
120,000 women, and 47,000 children. Of 
these there are 60,000 males, earning from 
50 centimes (10 cents) to 3 francs (60 
cents) per day ; 211,000 earn from 3^ 
to 6 francs (65 cents to .$1.20) per 
day ; and 15,000 from 6i to 20 francs 
($1.30 to $4). Of the females, 17,200 
earn from 50 centimes (10 cents) to 1 
franc 25 centimes to 4 francs (25 to 80 
cents) ; and 700 from 4j to 10 francs 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



153 



(90 cents to $2). The wages of children 
are from 10 cents to 25 cents per day. 
The shoemakers, carpenters, briekhiyers, 
stonemasons, and paintei's ai'e among the 
211,000 who receive from 65 cents to 
$1.20 per day. It is not surprising tliat 
these mechanics come to the United 
States whenever they can raise money 
enough to pay their passages. Our me- 
chanics at home, by denying their own 
sons the privilege of learning trades, al- 
ways keep the supply short, so as to pro- 
vide places for the foreign mechanic 
whenever he is ready to come. They all 
deserve leather medals for their phi- 
lanthropy. 

AMERICANS IN PARIS. 

The people of Paris are astounded at 
the American invasion. They have not 
only filled up all the hotels, but the 
boarding-houses on Boulevard llauss- 
mann are thronged with them. Those 
who come to stay over a month or two 
invariably abandon the hotels and take 
to the boarding-houses, where they can 
live much more comfortably and fare 
better for half the expense. The charge 
at these houses ranges from eight to twelve 
francs per day, including finely-furnished 
chambers and the use of the parlors, 
pianos, etc., wine at dejeiiner and dinner. 
Many American families are located here 
permanently, finding the cost of living 
much cheaper than at home. For three 
chambers and a private parlor at Madame 
Feron's, No. Ill Rue Neuve des Mathu- 
rins, we pay thirty-six francs per day, 
which embraces everything, including 
the very pleasant American company 
which is usually to be found at these 
houses. The table is good and the at- 
tendance excellent, and we have no doubt 
that for a prolonged stay much lower 
rates could be obtained. The papers are 
filled with advertisements of rooms and 
apartmp.nts to be let to Americans, and 
every one is finding the importance of 
speaking English. All the stores are 
providing themselves with English-speak- 
ing clerks. Colored nurses with Ameri- 
can children in charge are quite common 
all over Paris, and the American citizen 
of African descent walks up and down 
the boulevards with his yellow kids and 
ivory-headed whalebone under his arm 
without being any longer an object of 
curiosity. American dressmakers are in- 
vading the precincts of the famous Worth, 
and have their establishments on Rue 
Scribe and Boulevard Haussmann throng- 
ed with customers. The American Club- 



room, the American caf^, and a number 
of fancy-goods establishments havi; been 
recently started by Americans, and four 
English newspapers are published in 
Paris. The American flag is to be seen 
in various sections of the city, and the 
carriage-drivers as well as the store-keepers 
reap a rich harvest. The number of 
American ladies here is unprecedented, 
and there is no city in Europe in which 
they love to linger as they do in Paris. 

FEMALE DOCTORS. 

The irrepressible American girl is to 
be found alt over Europe, endeavoring to 
force her Avay as a student of medicine 
in the leading universities and hospitals. 
When she is rebuffed at one point she 
proceeds to another, and has at last suc- 
ceeded in getting up a very general dis- 
cussion of the question. Whenever there 
is a vote taken on the propriety of ad- 
mitting females to the universities or the 
hospitals, the main issue is dodged, as it 
has just been at the University of Tu- 
bingen. It was resolved to admit female 
students upon the presentatiim of the 
proper certificate that they have passed 
through the classes of a regular grammar- 
school and have withstood the abitiwient 
examination. The conditions imposed 
are equivalent to a vote of exclusion, as 
female students are not as yet allowed to 
attend the grammar-schools. At Vienna 
the female students who were endeavor- 
ing to obtain admission to the lectures 
were refused in all depai'tments except 
that of midwifery, which is very generally 
in the hands of women throughout the 
Continent. Indeed, it is only within a 
few years that male doctors have com- 
menced to practice in this department of 
the profession in the private pi-actice 
of Paris. Some inferior institutions in 
Europe have opened their lecture-rooms to 
females, but this does not satisfy these 
American female aspirants, arid they are 
endeavoring to force their way where the 
best education can be had. They meet 
with many rebuffs, but are earnest and 
determined. Kate Fields takes up the 
cudgels for them this week in the Ameri- 
can Register^ published in Paris and Lon- 
don, in reply to the London Times, and 
has certainly the best of the argument. 
She denies that all medical pi-actitioners 
are opposed to female doctors, and con- 
tends that those who do are governed by 
the same influence that induces Paddy, 
the Irish laborer of California, to hate 
Ah Sin, and declare that Chinese pig-tail 



154 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



has come to take the bread out of his 
children's mouths ; or that one corner 
grocery does not adore the next corner 
grocery. When she took to lecturing, all 
her friends told her that they would 
rather see her dead. She knew, however, 
that the prejudice against women lecturers 
was only temporary, and would cease so 
soon as 'woman on the platform ceased to 
be a novelty. " Every step forward taken 
by women," she declares, "has been over 
burning plowshares, and she can al- 
ways look back to a time when the oc- 
cupation most abjured by our fastidious 
friends was of all others the most com- 
promising to womanhood." Miss Fields 
takes up every olijection made by her op- 
ponents, and answers them with both 
ability and logic, quoting from history 
to show that women lack neither " phy- 
sical strength" nor "brain-power" ne- 
cessary for the profession. The strongest 
point of her argument is probably the 
following : " I make bold to say, not only 
are women-doctors to be tolerated, but 
they are to be heartily welcomed as ne- 
cessary to their own sex. In many cases 
it is most unpleasant for women to 
employ male physicians. Nothing but 
the knowledge that to them only is the 
door of science thrown wide open recon- 
ciles women to a sometimes revolting 
necessity. Many a young girl's health 
has been ruined because of an unconquer- 
able aversion to consult a male phy- 
sician." She concludes by asking whether, 
ten years hence, society will draw the 
line " unfeminine" against women who, 
having too much pride to hang as bur- 
dens about the necks of friends or re- 
latives, take up active business and dare 
to make as much money as their brothers. 
The census of England just taken shows 
that there are one-sixth more females 
than males in that kingdom, and the 
same is the case all over Europe, the re- 
sult of war and emigration •, hence it is 
argued that marriage is no longer 
woman's chief calling. Girls are advised 
to look upon man-iage as an accident, 
not as a career, and full opportunity 
must be given them to seek some oppor- 
tunity of livelihood by proper training in 
youth. The three thousand pounds left 
by John Stuart Mill, in his will, to any 
university in Great Britain or Ireland 
that shall be the first to open its degrees 
to women, have not yet been taken up. 
The time will come, however, when 
women will have an equal chance in life : 
For, as Kate Fields says, " the Deity has 
created a female, and man cannot get rid 



of her. The world is wide enough for 
both sexes. Place mix dames T^ 

HOTELS IN PARIS. 

The hotels of Paris have greatly ad- 
vanced their prices during the past year, 
which has induced most Americans who 
have ladies with them to seek quarters at 
the pensions, or boarding-houses, where 
thev fare much better at one-half the cost. 
At 'the Grand Hotel, on the "first floor," 
which we would call the third floor, the 
charge for sleeping-accommodations alone 
is from twelve to twenty-five francs per 
day. The intermediate floors to the 
" fourth," w^hich we would call the sixth, 
are a shade lower, whilst on the " fourth" 
the charge is from five to twelve francs 
per day. For a te67e-cZ'/io<e breakfast and 
dinner, including a very inferior wine, 
eleven francs are charged. If meals are 
taken a la carte at the hotel, and then not 
equal to a dinner at an American hotel 
like the Carrollton, Barnum's, or the St. 
Clair, including wine, it cannot be accom- 
plished much under twenty-five francs, 
which would make the average expense 
not much less than from five to seven 
dollars per day, according to the loca- 
tion of rooms. They have, however, at 
the Grand Hotel, partly introduced the 
American system this year, which is 
rather moderate for those who like table- 
d'hote living. Boarders are taken at a 
fixed price, including apartments, board 
(wine included), fire, and lighting, at 
twenty-five francs per day for one person, 
or for two occupying one room, thirty-five 
francs. The rooms are, of course, close 
up under the shingles. 

At ihQ pensions the charge is from ten 
to twelve francs per day for everything, 
with better tables than the hotels furnish, 
and better rooms and attendance. They 
are also much pleasanter for ladies, as the 
boarders are generally Americans or Eng- 
lish, the former largely predominating 
everywhere. It is utterly impossible to 
get along in Paris without wine, as the 
conviction is general that Avater is un- 
healthy. We supposed this at first to be 
a trick to induce the purchase of wnne, 
but the idea pervades all classes. P^ven 
the chambermaids exjjress astonishment 
when drinking-water is called for, and 
insist upon sweetening it with sugar. Ice- 
water is regarded as positively dangerous 
without sugar or wine in it. 

THE CLEANLINESS OF PARIS. 

Paris, September 13, 1873. 
The more one sees of Paris, the greater 
is the astonishment at the wonderful 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



155 



attractions which abound in every direc- 
tion. The world has much to learn from 
Paris, although there is much here that 
it is all the better that the rest of man- 
kind should not attempt to imitate. In 
the matter of city government, and orna- 
mentation, and cleanliness, and finely- 
paved streets, and the artistic location 
of its most elegant buildings so that they 
may show to the best advantage, the 
city of Paris carries o3' the palm. A 
Parisian would never have located our 
City Hafl down at the opening to " the 
meadows," or the new Opera-House on 
Howard Street, or have turned the old 
Exchange Hotel into a p )st-office, or 
located the CarroUton Hotel on Light 
Street. He never allows speculators in 
land to fix the location of public edifices, 
nor " ring-masters" to construct them, 
but places them just where they will add 
most to the ornamentation of an already 
ornamental position. The whole eifort 
has been to make Paris beautiful, and 
beautiful it is almost everywhere. We 
drove out to its extreme western suburbs, 
fully five miles from the Louvre, and 
found elegant squares, fountains (some 
of them in the course of erection), and 
clean, well-paved streets out to its ex- 
treme limits. The Paris of to-day has no 
dirty and otfensive districts, and the secret 
is that it is never allowed to get dirty. 
The sweepings of a half-mile of any of 
the streets would not fill a wheelbarrow 
at any time, and such an instrument as a 
scraper is not among the tools of the 
scavenger. Water is only used to boil 
potatoes (and these are usually fried), 
wash the streets, and supply the f )untains 
and cascades. For these latter purposes 
it is most lavishly expended, and hence 
Paris is always clean and beautiful. 

THE BOIS DE BOULOGNE. 

The number of public squares and 
parks in and around Paris exceeds that 
of any other city in the world, and they 
are all ornamented with beds of flowers, 
elaborate fountains, and extensive arrays 
of fine statuary, whilst the walks and 
drives are models of good order and neat- 
ness. Each tree seems also to be ten- 
derly cared for and watered, and the grass 
is being constantly dressed and nurtured. 
So it is with the hundreds of thousands 
of trees along the boulevards : they were 
planted for ornament and shade, and care 
is taken that they fulfill their destiny to the 
fullest possible extent. The parks of Lon- 
don are kept generally in a slovenly con- 
, dition in comparison. 



The Bois de Boulogne is the principal 
park of Paris, and is now gradually regain- 
ing its old reputation as the most fash- 
ionable place of resort for a drive or a 
walk, where the most splendid equipages 
and the finest horses of the capital are 
displayed. It is approached from the city 
by the Avenue of the Champs Elysees, 
which is also the fiivorite promenade of 
the gay Parisians. The Bois de Boulogne 
is also distinguished as a favorite place 
for dueling and suicides, which are still 
as numerous in Paris as ever. The Ave- 
nue de I'Imperatrice, three hundred feet 
wide, commencing at the Arch of Tri- 
umph, is the grand thoroughfare through 
the park, and to the beautiful lakes and 
cascades by which it is adorned. Here 
art and taste have conspired to charm the 
eye with the most picturesque scenery. 
At the southern extremity of the lakes, 
opposite the islands, two charming cas- 
cades pour their waters, bounding from 
rock to rock, or gushing from crevices 
skillfully arranged, into the lake beneath. 
Winding paths, emerging from the cool 
fir-groves scattered around, intersect the 
rich turf which clothes the banks down to 
the water's edge. On the rocky side of 
the smaller island is an aviary tilled with 
rare birds, and fi-om the balcony of an 
elegant kiosk, situated on a promontory 
which terminates the smaller island, an 
enchanting view is obtained on a fine 
summer's day of the gay scene around. 
The rich equipages enlivening the car- 
riage-road which winds around the lake, 
the crowds of persons of all ranks enjoy- 
ing the cool shade on the iron benches 
provided for their convenience, or saun- 
tering along the gravel-walks, children 
flocking about in the height of merriment 
and glee, and the boats flying to and fro 
with their white canvas awnings shining 
in the sun, form a maze of bustle and ani- 
mation most pleasing to the eye. Snug 
little Swiss cottages may be seen peering 
here and there from behind the trees, 
well provided with beer and common 
wine for the thirsty, or more costly re- 
freshments for those whose inclination 
may desire them. 

There are also several niher smaller 
lakes on the line of the main carriage- 
road, which makes a circuit of five miles 
and passes through a variety of attractive 
scenery. Not far from the head of the 
first lake is the great race-course of Long- 
champs, granted by the city tu the Jockey 
Club, where the fall races are now taking 
place every Sunday afternoon. It in- 
closes one hundred and fifty-three acres. 



156 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and is fitted up in the most costly and 
elaborate manner. The stands accommo- 
date four thousand persons, and chairs 
for a similar number are distributed about 
the parterre within the rails. The race- 
ground is laid out in three courses, one 
of two thousand feet, the second of two 
thousand five hundred, and the other of 
three thousand two hundred. 

This park, though some miles from the 
centre, and a considerable distance from 
the outskirts, of Paris, can be approached 
by the boats from the Seine, by several 
lines of omnilnises, or by railroad from 
the St. Lazure or Porte Maillot stations ; 
hence it is the favorite resort of all classes 
of the people. To describe it thoroughly 
would require too much space in a letter, 
but we must not neglect to mention the 
Cascade de Longchamps, which is the 
great central attraction. An ai'tificial 
mound one hundred and eighty feet in 
breadth, and forty-two feet high, raises 
its craggy front above a basin bordered 
with rocks ; a vast sheet of water issuing 
from a cavern pierced through the body 
of the mound, falls into the basin from a 
height of twenty-seven feet, while later- 
ally two minor cascades are seen pictu- 
resquely threading their way through 
various crevices. An intricate rocky pas- 
sage winds its way under the cascade, 
leading the visitor through many mock 
perils, charmingly managed, to the top of 
the waterfall, where he may enjoy a view 
of the pretty lake by which it is fed, and 
which also displays a picturesque island 
in the centre. 

THE JARDIN D'aCCLIMATATION. 

This is another of the great attractions 
of th(i Bois de Boulogne, being almost as 
handsome as the Jardin des Plantes, 
though its collection of animals was 
gi'eatly reduced during the siege, by the 
famished Parisians. It is an inclosure of 
thirty-three acres, belonging to the Soci6t6 
d'Acclimatation, the object of which is to 
acclimate both plants and animals. It 
is beautifully laid out in walks, encir- 
cling the cages or inclosures where the 
quadrupeds are kept, and arranged with 
picturesque little cots, containing the 
stables. The grounds are intersected by 
a sti'eamlet, dotted with islands and 
spanned by rustic bridges. There various 
aquatic plants are grown, while other 
rare specimens of the vegetable kingdom 
abound on the surrounding grass-plats, 
among which we noticed a collection of 
California firs. The hot-house is three 
hundred feet long, and ninety in breadth. 



with a romantic grotto and rivulet, sur- 
rounded with palm-trees and other choice 
plants fi-om tropical climes. The rivulets 
and basins swarm with various kinds of 
fish, and here are also ostriches, ducks, 
geese and swans from all parts of the 
Avorld, in endless variety, presenting a 
scene of agreeable animation. There is 
also an extensive aquarium, divided into 
fourteen compartments, occupied by none 
but the rarest specimens of the piscato- 
rial world. Then there is a vast aviary, 
swarming with a wonderful collection of 
rare birds. There are also elephants, 
bears, and a very good collection of other 
quadrupeds. In the centre of the garden 
is a large orchestral canopy, and chairs 
for a large audience, concerts being given 
here two afternoons in the week, by the 
finest bands in Paris. The admission is 
one franc, but only a half-franc on Sun- 
days and holidays. 

THE MARKETS OF PARIS. 

We visited at an early hour yesterday 
morning the great central market of 
Paris, which presents a most novel scene 
to the stranger, being so different from 
those to which he is accustomed. The 
markets are called Halles, and there are 
in the city twenty-two for wholesale 
transactions, fifty-seven for retail deal- 
ings, and one central cattle-market, where 
the slaughtered meat is sold by auction, 
either the whole animal, or quartered, 
from whence the butchex'-stores through- 
out the city obtain their supplies. It was 
to this great central market that w^e re- 
paired yesterday morning, it combining 
all the peculiarities of the other markets, 
both wholesale and retail. 

The Central Ilalles cover a space of 
ground about as large as that occupied 
by the Camden Street Depot of the Bal- 
timore and Ohio Railroad, the streets 
passing through it, but being covered by 
glass roofs, making the whole one build- 
ing, mainly of iron and glass. It is, 
however, divided into ten distinct halles, 
or markets. This market is new, and 
cost for its construction alone twelve 
million of francs, over and above the 
cost of two hundred and forty-nine houses 
pulled down to make room for it, which 
amounted to twenty-seven millions of 
francs more, or in all about eight mil- 
lions of dollars. There are retail pavil- 
ions in it for the sale of meat, butter and 
cheese, fowls and game, and vegetables, 
and also pavilions for the sale of meat, 
butter, and fish by wholesale. Underneath 
this immense structure is a cellar, the 



AMFAIICAN SPECTACLES. 



157 



vaulting of brick restino; upon iron 
groins, "Supported by four luuidrcd and 
thirty oast-iron pillars, forming a curious 
perspective. Light is admitted through 
(dass bull's-eyes, and there are numerous 
iron cages rented to dealers for storing 
their produce. There are immense wired 
cages for poultry, and a stone tank di- 
vided into compartments for the conve- 
nience of fishmongers. But the most sin- 
oular part of this underground portion 
of the market-house is the parallel lines 
of tramways extending from these cellars 
through a tunnel, Avhich passes under the 
Boulevard Seliastopol, and connects with 
the Ilailroad de Ceinture, nearly a mile dis- 
tant. This railroad encircles the city, and 
connects with all other roads, so that the 
produce for this great market is all 
brought by this underground tunnel di- 
rect into the cellar. 

The structure above-ground is very im- 
posing. The iron columns or pillars, 
numbering three hundred, upon which 
the roof rests, are each thirty-three feet 
high, and are connected by dwarf walls 
of brick about ten feet high. The rest 
of the space up to the arches is closed 
with blinds of ground-glass plate. The 
roofing is of zinc, with large skylights 
over the carriage-ways, thus giving 
alTundance of light and ventilation, whilst 
hydrants are interspersed for the use of 
the dealers. It is altogether a mammoth 
institution, and the amount of business 
transacted here daily is very large. 

SCENE AT THE MARKET. 

When we reached the market-house 
everything was in full blast, wholesale 
and retail. Instead of stalls in the retail 
markets, each dealer is provided with an 
iron cage about ten feet square, and some 
onh^ half this size, in which they trans- 
act their business. The fronts are pro- 
vided with folding iron doors, so that 
they can be thrown open, (jr closed up 
at night and locked. This contrivance 
makes ventilation perfect, and keeps 
everything secure. They are in rows 
close together, with passage-ways about 
twelve feet wide between tJiem. One 
section is for meats, another for cheese, 
eggs, and butter, another for poultry and 
game, another for vegetables, and another 
for flour, feed, and grain. On the oppo- 
site side of each of these pavilions is 
another for the sale of each of these arti- 
cles by wholesale, and at least fifty auc- 
tioneers were busy selling, with clerks 
and cashiers to note the sales and receive 
the money. In the first wholesale de- 



partment we entered, the sale of butter 
and cheese was progressing. The butter 
was in lumps of about fifty pounds each, 
and a hundred or more of small dealers, 
mostly old women, were crowding around 
each of the auctioneers, all armed with 
an iron probe, with which they punctured 
the rolls and tasted them as they were 
moved along a table. There were piles 
of these large lumps inclosed in linen 
cloths strewn upon the pavements to the 
number of several hundred, and the por- 
ters were carrying them off" to the wagons 
outside as fast as they were sold and paid 
for. It was an animated scene, the cus- 
tomers being a greasy-looking set of fel- 
lows, in blue blouses, but with glib and 
(.)ily tongues, making themselves heard 
over the general din. The wholesale 
meat market was stocked with whole 
sheep, whole hogs, and quarters of beef, 
— all hung up on stationary shambles, 
extending in lines across the building. 
A half-dozen auctioneers were passing 
along these lines, and selling piece by 
piece to a throng of customers, each fol- 
lowed by a clerk noting down the sales. 
There was some horse-meat also, which 
could only be distinguished by the ex- 
perienced eye from the fact that the flesh 
was a darker red, and the fat yellow in- 
stead of white, as is the case with good 
beef. 

MARKET FOR OLD CLOTHES. 

This is called the Marche du Vieus 
Linge. It is a market for old clothes 
and stuffs, shoes and tools, and is a very 
extensive aff"air. It is about seven hun- 
dred feet long by two hundred feet broad, 
built in iron pavilions, and contains two 
thousand four hundred places for dealers, 
each of about thirteen square feet, and all 
these stalls are occupied, from which some 
idea can be obtained of the scene here 
presented. This market was built as a 
speculation, the city granting the con- 
tractor the right to build it and receive 
the rents for fifty years. He is to pay 
the city two hundred thousand francs per 
annuui,and the whole property is to revert 
to the city at the expiration of the speci- 
fied period. It cost the contractor three 
million five hundred thousand francs. 
The stalls set up for the dealers are so 
elegant, and the articles off'ered for sale 
so cleverly " renovated," that the visitor 
can scarcely believe himself to be in an 
"old clothes" mart. It has been a very 
successful speculation, and the poor man 
can here procure a very respectable outfit 
for a very small outlay. These dealei-s 



158 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



are constantly on the look-out for the con- 
tents of rubbish-rooms, old clothes, and 
all the odds and ends that accumulate in 
an easy-living household. The space oc- 
cupied by this structure is two entire 
blocks, the street passing through it 
being roofed over with iron, glass, and 
zinc. It is very elegant, and is Iniilt on 
the model of the Grand Central Market, 
entirely of iron. The roof is about forty 
feet high, with a greater elevation in the 
centre, where there is an immense open 
gallery, reached by tAvo flights of iron 
stairs. Seeing that there was a crowd of 
people up there, we ascended, and found 
a door-keeper, who required one sou ad- 
mission. This proved to be a place for 
the sale of old clothes too far gone for 
renovation, and the articles were piled up 
in lines along the floor, through which 
the purchasers, to the number of prob- 
ably a thousand, were circulating. Both 
buyer and seller pay one sou admission, 
■which defrays the expense of this branch 
of the establishment. Musty-looking old 
shoes by the cart-load were here, shocking 
old hats, and all manner of women's ap- 
parel. The dealers were doing an ex- 
tensive business, and during our ramble 
we were frequently invited to purchase 
some threadbare garment, from which it 
may be judged how shabby the traveler 
gets in his outward appearance by the 
time he reaches Paris. The goods dis- 
played in the two thousand four hundred 
stalls below looked as bright and new, 
almost, as the display in the Avindows on 
the boulevards, though many of them were 
slightly out of fashion. 

PARISIAN LOCAL ITEMS. 

At the celebrated dry-goods establish- 
ment Au Bon Marchi^, which is extensively 
patronized by Americans, a new feature 
has been introduced this season. It hav- 
ing been noticed that American gentlemen 
frequently get impatient whilst their wives 
and daughters are shopping, and some- 
times hurry them off before they have 
obtained all they want, a well-fitted-up 
billiard-saloon has been provided for their 
amusement whilst the purchases are being 
made. It seems to answer the purpose 
well, as the gentlemen are always easily 
to be found when it is necessary for them 
to come up to the captain's ofiice and foot 
the bill. 

An American lady tells us that she 
went to a hair-dresser's establishment this 
morning to get her hair shampooed, and, 
asking the cost, she received the answer 
that it would be three francs. After the 



operation was finished she was presented 
with a bill for niile francs, and upon de- 
murring was told that three of the addi- 
tional francs were for putting her hair up 
again, two others for the liquid used, and 
the fourth for the use of the combs and 
brush. Can any of our Yankee sham- 
pooers come up to this sharp practice ? . 

We stopped in this morning at a horse- 
meat butchei"'s shop to look at the meat. 
There were nice-looking sirloin steaks, 
spare-riband sirloin roasts, knuckle-joints 
for soup, and genuine " salt horse"' in 
abundance. We could not have told it 
from beef, except that the meat was a 
darker red. The gentlem?.n whom we 
accompanied assured us that he had eaten 
it as an experiment, and was of the opin- 
ion that it was more tender, as a general 
thing, than ordinary beef. "But," he 
added, " I expect you have frequently 
dined oS" of it since you have been in 
Paris, especially if you have taken any 
meals at the restaurants." Well, perhaps 
we have, but " where ignorance is bliss 
'tis folly to be wise." 

The Commune, during their possession 
of Paris, destroyed, among other things, 
all the ofiicial records of births and mar- 
riages. As most of them were family 
men and women without marriage, or 
unconscious of their own parentage, the 
object was to place all on a level of 
" equality" in this respect. The work of 
restoring the records is now in progress, 
as all who are not recorded are regarded 
in the eye of the law as illegitimate. It 
has made brisk work for the lawyers. 

The Parisians have a singular way of 
signalizing events in their history by the 
naming of streets. One of the magnifi- 
cent boulevards branching ofi" from the 
Grand Opeva-House was named Boulevard 
2d December, the day of the Napoleon 
covp-ctitat in 1851. The name is now 
changed to the Boulevard 4th September, 
the day of the dethronement of the Em- 
peror and the proclamation of the Pie- 
public. Should there be another empire 
proclaimed, the name will doubtless be 
changed again to suit the date of its 
occurrence. 

THE "chateau rouge." 

London has its "Argyle Hall" and 
"Cremorne Gardens," Vienna has its 
"Sperle" and "Alhambra," but they are 
low and disorderly places, which are 
seldom visited even by respectable gentle- 
men. They are vicious imitations of the 
Paris gardens, such as the " Jardin Ma- 
bille" and the " Elys6e Montmartre," the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



159 



"Chateau Rouge" and the " Closerie des 
Lilas." In these places the license of the 
dance is not always confined to the limits 
of propriety, though there is nothing to 
be seen at any of them below the level 
of the artistic dancing on the stage, or 
what is called the " leg drama." In sum- 
mer the Parisians resort to similar es- 
tablishments at the villages of Asnieres, 
Enghien, Lecaux, St. Cloud, Rambouillet, 
and ^lontmorency. AVe have visited the 
" Jardin Mabille," which is the best place 
in Paris to meet Americans, and English 
too, lioth ladies and gentlemen, as but 
few foil to spend an evening there during 
their sojourn in the metropolis. Last 
evening your correspondent was induced 
to accompany ayoungBaltimorean, whnse 
curiosity was not satisfied with the Ma- 
bille, over to the Latin Quarter, on a tour 
of observation at the " Chateau Rouge." 
He had been reading Mark Twain's de- 
scription of the grisettes, and wished to 
see them in the midst of their evening 
enjoyments. IMark says that after seeing 
them he felt sorry for the students, and 
no longer envied them their felicity. We 
can truly say that if the effeminate, 
spindle-shanked, and half-made-up speci- 
mens of the genus homo who were dan- 
cing at the " Rouge" last night were stu- 
dents, the grisettes should have come in 
for a full share of his pity. The girls 
were nearly all extremely young, full 
of life and vivacity, neatly but plainly 
dressed, and, as a general thing, rather 
goo 1-looking. The men, on the contrary, 
although good dancers and mostly young, 
were, in both form and feature, decidedly 
repulsive. 

The dance at the " Chateau Rouge" 
was conducted with as much propriety as 
at the " Mabille Garden," but was much 
more exciting. The best female dancers 
at the Mabille are evidently paid for their 
services, and but few others appear on 
the floor; but at the "Rouge" they all 
joined in the dance, and each tried to ex- 
cel the other in the abandon with which 
they flew through its giddy mazes. The 
style of dancing is altogether Spanish, 
none of the ordinary tame cotillion fig- 
ures being permitted. The music is 
rapid, and the dancers take two steps to 
every note, presenting a scene of " rapid 
speed" not usually seen in the ball-room. 
The spectators formed rings around the 
best dancers, who appeared to be known, 
and we, being too modest to press for- 
ward, had mostly to be contented with 
what could be seen over the heads of a 
crowd of people who were between us 



and the dancers. Every moment a score 
of neat ladies' boots, with well-turned 
ankles encased in striped stockings, could 
be seen flying around the head's of the 
male dancers, who vainly attempted to 
get their boots as high. Whether there 
was any intended viciousness in these 
kicks we were not informed, though we 
saw a cigar fly out of the mouth of a 
spectator on the toe of a lady's boot, and 
a gentleman's hat sent ballooning up 
among the chandeliers. Such a jolly set 
of people, numbering not less than three 
thousand, nearly half of them females, 
we have never seen assembled together 
before. Shouts of laughter and applause 
greeted any extraordinary feats of agility, 
and when the music stopped all joined in 
a grand promenade out from under the 
dancing-pavilion into the garden, the 
trees of wiaich were illuminated with in- 
numerable coloi'ed lamps, while thou- 
sands of gas-jets blazed from upright 
chandeliers throughout the walks, along 
which hundreds of refreshment-tables 
were stationed.' At the rear, the water 
poured down over the rocks of a cascade 
fountain, and at the sides a series of little 
shady nooks were filled with parties par- 
taking of wine and ices. 

When the music struck up again, we 
secured a more eligible position, closer to 
the dancers, and we saw — well, we will 
let Mark Twain tell what we saw and 
heard : " Shouts, laughter, furious music, 
a bewildering chaos of darting and inter- 
mingling forms, stormy jerking and 
rustling of gay dresses, bobbing heads, 
flying arms, lightning flashes of white 
and striped stocking calves, and dainty 
slippers, in the air, and then a grand final 
rush, riot, a terrific hul)bub, and a wild 
stampede ! Nothing like it has been seen 
on earth since trembling Tarn O'Shanter 
saw the devil and the witches at their 
orgies that stormy night in Alloway's old 
haunted kirk." 

It was a scene of the most vigorous and 
earnest dancing that human feet and 
limbs could possibly be trained to. So 
also in the waltzes. They flew around so 
rapidly that at a short distance the twirl- 
ing couples bewildered the eye, and 
seemed like tops spinning in the air. 
There was nothing of the "poetry of 
motion" about this dancing, but rather 
the " prose of locomotion," the highest 
rate of speed being the object to be at- 
tained. Still, we did not see anything 
as shocking to delicate susceptibilities as 
the famous danseuse performances at our 
most fashionable thealJres. These dancers 



160 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUOH 



undoubtedly enjoyed the dance, -whilst 
the professionals go through it as part of 
a laborious diitj', and we don't think that 
any of the hitter were able to throw their 
heels as high as thegrisettes of tiie Latin 
Quarter. The best of order was ob- 
served, and during the j^romenades there 
was but little to distinguish the company 
from an ordinary assemblage of well- 
dressed people. There were a great many 
respectable French ladies present as spec- 
tators, and an abundance of English and 
American gentlemen, but no ladies of 
either of these Anglo-Saxon nationalities. 
At the Mabille Garden, however, the 
English and American ladies outnum- 
bered the gentlemen, as this is one of the 
places in Paris which the ladies all per- 
sist in seeing "just once." Among the 
latter we recognized the family of a 
Northern bishop, and any number of 
" fathers and mothers in Israel," with 
their daughters. There is no use in any 
one coming to Europe without seeing the 
people in all their modes and phases of 
life, and to see Paris without visiting the 
Mabille would be like going to Rome and 
not visiting St. Peter" s. The stranger, 
finding himself a stranger in a strange 
land, feels at liberty to come and go to 
places that he feels bound to shun at 
home. 

THE GRISETTE. 

It is a common remark among strangers 
in France that about every third man 
wears a uniform of some kind, and such 
is almost the case here in Paris. Nearly 
all of these uniformed men are forbidden 
by law to marry, and they belong to a 
class who have never lieen taught to en- 
tertain such an idea as pertaining to their 
future existence. They have always 
found it difficult to get food for them- 
selves, and hence have never entertained 
such a prepostei'ous undertaking as mar- 
rying and supporting a family. These 
men have sisters who have always recog- 
nized themselves as belonging to a class 
who are never to know the relations of 
husband and wife. Such a thought never 
enters the head of a girl or boy belonging 
to the poorer classes- of Paris. Some- 
times they succeed in drawing themselves 
out of their unnatural state of existence, 
and aspire to higher things, but the great 
mass of them have for generations found 
that the chief aim of life was bread and 
wine. They have the natural passions of 
ordinary men and women, and hence the 
grisette. They are not taught, even by 
their spiritual counselors, that thei-e is 



any sin in the life they lead, and are as 
punctual in their church attendance as 
any class in Paris. Nor are they re- 
garded as degraded, unless they fall still 
lower and become professional courtesans. 
They are considered as fulfilling their 
destiny, and love and are beloved as 
other mortals. Sometimes these ties are 
permanent, but in the generality of cases 
they are merely for a time, and when 
broken a new one is formed. Thus they 
pass through life, and their children, of 
whom they furnish the state about eigh- 
teen thousand per annum, are sometimes 
kept and maintained by themselves, but 
oftener passed over to the orphan-asy- 
lums, just as most of their mothers were 
passed over in their early infancy. The 
grisette, it will thus be seen, is a feature 
of Parisian society that is regarded as 
inevitable, and, being inevitable, those 
who raise themselves out of its sluugh 
are not deemed to have been tainted or 
tarnished in character. Those who pass 
through life as grisettes are not regarded 
as " fallen angels," but as women who 
are fulfilling their sad and unfortunate 
destiny, and whose chances for heaven 
are quite as good as those whose lots 
are cast in plcasanter ways. So long as 
youth lasts they live a merry life, and 
when this departs they become waiting- 
maids. They are the unfortunate vic- 
tims of kingcraft, which requires stand- 
ing armies, and draws the youth of the 
country away from the ordinary pursuits 
of life and happiness. 

" it's naughty, but it's nice." 
An American lad}^ who was chidden by 
an over-prudish friend for having joined 
a party of American ladies and gentlemen 
to spend a-n evening at the Mabille Gar- 
dens, responded, "Well, I admit it was 
naughty, but then it was so nice." She 
contended that she had never spent at 
any place of amusement a more agreeable 
evening, and had not seen half as much 
to shock her sense of propriety as could 
be seen on the boards of our leading 
theatres during a ballet season. The 
garden itself, independent of the scenes 
enacted, is one of the most brilliant spec- 
tacles ever presented to the human vision. 
The number of gas-jets is said to exceed 
fifty thousand, which, mingled with the 
foliage of the trees and flowers, and artis- 
tically arranged in and around the dan- 
cing-circle, almost blinds the eye at times 
with its brilliancy. Then there are grot- 
toes and arbors and alcoves, refreshment- 
saloons, and booths for various little 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



Ifil 



games interspersed, all adding to the gay 
and festive scene. That portion of the 
garden intended for promenades is only 
sufficiently lighted to give eifect to the 
illusion produced by some ingenious 
painter, by which the groves seem to ex- 
tend indefinitely in the distance, though 
really not more than a hundred yards in 
extent. The trees, the grass, the flowers, 
the fountains, and the bushes, each and 
all throw forth their blaze of light and 
contribute to the general effect. A row 
of thirty iron arches spans the upper end 
of the garden, each almost twenty-five 
feet high, and both columns and arch are 
one blaze of light. The columns appear 
in the distance as if fluted with fire, and 
the arches and pillars are formed of nu- 
merous rows of gas-jets, and Avhon viewed 
from the circle, with the intervening foun- 
tains and large frosted globes suspended 
from every available point, present a 
scene of enchantment surpassing the 
genius of Mr. Getz to present in scenic 
illusion. 

Whilst the adjuncts to the grand cen- 
tral attraction of the garden are like the 
visions of a fairy-tale, the dancing-circle 
eclipses everything else in its brilliant 
arrangement and the artistic use of 
gas. It is about two hundred and fifty 
feet in diameter, with an elegant music- 
temple in the centre, not quite so large 
as the pagoda in Druid Hill, but capable 
of seating a band of fifty musicians, the 
best that Paris can produce. An im- 
mense chandelier is suspended in the 
centre, with eighty globes, and between 
each of the ten columns three large globes 
are suspended. The temple, lieing con- 
structed of iron, emits gas-jets at all 
points. Half-way between the temple 
and the outer circle are arranged, equi- 
distant, twelve large palm-trees, or at 
least iron representations of the palm, 
about thirty feet high, and from their 
broad leaves are suspended innumerable 
plum-shaped globes, serving as chande- 
liers. The outer edge of the dancing- 
arena is encircled with twenty iron arches 
witli double rows of gas-jets, whilst from 
each arch three mammoth globe lights 
are suspended. The combination is most 
charming to the eye in every direction, 
and each jet has evidently been placed 
and arranged with a view to its scenic 
effect from all other portions of the gar- 
den. 

THE MABILLE AUDIENCE. 

The audience consists of all classes, so 
far as standing in society may designate 
11 



them, but in appearance and dress they 
nearly all deport themselves as ladies and 
gentlemen, excepting of course the most 
reckless of the dancers. The price of 
admission, five francs for a gentleman and 
one for a lady accompanying him, makes 
it somewhat select on the male side, and 
keeps away disorderly characters. How- 
ever, the fully-equipped gendarmes, with 
drawn swords, standing like statues at 
various points in the garden, are signifi- 
cant notifications that order must lie pre- 
served, and it is preserved with the 
strictest decorum. Nearly all strangers 
visiting Paris, both ladies and gentlemen, 
spend at least one evening at tlie jNIabille 
Garden, and even staid old English and 
American mothers and fathers, with their 
daughters, can be seen nightly enjoying 
the scene. All desire to go, and when 
opportunity offers the ladies especially 
are sure to avail themselves of it. They 
think they will go without letting any of 
their acquaintances know of the contem- 
plated indiscretion, but when there they 
are sure to meet an acquaintance at every 
turn, and by glancing around among the 
alcoves are apt to find the very ones from 
whom they were most desirous of con- 
cealing their presence, endeavoi'ing to 
dodge their own vision. Many amusing 
scenes of acquaintances meeting nightly 
occur, and, indeed, if you desire to find 
out who ai'e in Paris, here is the place to 
meet them. 

THE MABILI.E DANCERS. 

The Gardens are opened at eight o'clock 
in the evening, but it is nine before dan- 
cing really commences. The first comers 
are generally strangers, who think they 
will come early, view the scene, and retire 
before the sinners make their appearance. 
They next become interested in the prom- 
enaders, who at nine o'clock throng out 
towards the circle with a suddenness that 
almost startles the beholder, and in a few 
minutes it is difficult to work one's way 
through the broad thoroughfares.. The 
majority of the Cyprians behave them- 
selves with the dignity of matrons,, and, 
with few exceptions, are modestly ar- 
rayed, mingling with the promenaders 
until the dancing commences. After the 
performance of several operatic airs, the 
Ijand strikes up a gallopade, and immedi- 
ately rings are formed in the circle around 
two or three of the finest female dancers. 
Partners are secured, and soon they are 
spinning around like teetotums, with an 
exposure of finely-formed limbs and an 
agility that are seldom equaled on the 



162 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



stage. There are, of course, some pro- 
fessional dancers, both male and female, 
employed by the establishment, who lead 
off in these furious demonstrations, and 
the men frequently in the midst of the 
dance throw their heels over their part- 
ners' heads. The females are equally 
agile, and when too far from the circle to 
see them the spectator can perceive their 
neat boots and striped stockings flying 
around the heads of the throng by whom 
they are encompassed. Although they 
wear long dresses, they are appareled like 
the ballet-girls in all respects, including 
flesh-colored tights and short pantalets. 

Saturday night is the gala-night of the 
week, and it is on these occasions that 
strangers mostly visit the Mabille. From 
nine o'clock to midnight, when the gen- 
darmes put a stop to the dancing, and the 
musicians retire, there is no cessation of 
this scene of wild abandon and unre- 
strained hilarity. To all outward ap- 
pearance they seem to be full of the 
enjoyment of the occasion, and merry 
peals of laughter are resounding from all 
quarters. 

THE PARIS OPERA-HOUSE. 

To describe the new Paris Opera-House, 
which has been ten years in the course of 
construction, so that your readers might 
have some idea of its wonderful magnifi- 
cence, is so utterly impossible that we 
will only endeavor to give a general idea 
of its outward appearance. It is finished 
on the outside, but three years of work 
have not yet completed the interior, and 
two years more are required for its orna- 
mentation. There is no better way of 
conveying to an American an idea of any- 
thuig that he has not seen than to tell 
him the cost of it. Well, this new opera- 
house has cost forty million francs, or 
about eight million dollars in gold, in- 
cluding the square of ground on which it 
stands. It is a government institution, 
and was intended as one of the crowning 
glories of the Napoleonic empire. Who 
will first occupy the magnificent retii'ing- 
rooms constructed for the Emperor and 
Empress it would be difficult now to say. 

The opera-house occupies an open space, 
from which radiate the Boulevards des 
Capucines and Italiens, Rues Scribe, Au- 
ber, Halevy, and Neuve des Mathurins, 
like the spokes of a wheel. The area it 
occupies has a front of four hundred and 
three feet and a depth of four hundred 
and sixty-seven. It fronts on the Place 
de I'Op^ra, the width of which must be 
about six hundred feet in one direction, 



and one thousand in the other, being the 
junction of all these great thoroughmres. 
To stand in the centre of this " place" 
and look at the front of the building, 
with its groups, statues, and Ijusts of ex- 
quisite execution, and the towering dome, 
crowned by a group of bronze statuary, 
puts one out of conceit of the old masters 
of both statuary and architecture. The 
streets that encircle the building are all 
not less than one hundred and fifty feet 
in width, and a fine view of it can be ob- 
tained from any of the great thorough- 
fares. But it is not the front only that is 
ornamented with statuai'y and busts, but 
the sides, and even the rear, whilst the 
sculpture of all parts of the building 
is most elaborate. The side views are 
even more satisfactory, and give a better 
idea of its immensity, than the front, as 
the lateral projections with carriage-ways 
under arched porticoes, by which vehicles 
will reach the interior to the level of the 
first row of boxes, are among the most 
attractive portions of the building. 

HEALTH OF PARIS. 

Whilst the cholera is at Vienna, Berlin, 
and other parts of Northern and Southern 
Germany, and has put in an appearance 
among the old castles in Genoa, herein 
Paris the best possible health prevails. 
If the cleanliness of a city and all manner 
of municipal precautions are of any avail 
in changing the course of this ravaging 
monster's travels, he will not be able to 
enter the gates of Paris. People are 
compelled to live clean and keep them- 
selves clean, whether their inclinations 
tend that way or not. There are no dirty 
sections of Paris, the narroAv streets being 
as scrupulously cared for by the author- 
ities as the broad thoroughfares, whilst 
the houses and their tenants come in for 
more rigid inspection and supervision. 
The health of the city is in charge of the 
Conseil de Salubrite, composed of twenty 
members, all physicians, surgeons, or 
chemists, who are especially charged 
with the sanitary regulations, including 
the cleanliness of streets, markets, sewers, 
etc. There is also a Coraite de Salubrite 
Publique in each arrondissement connected 
with the council. The sewers that run 
for scores of miles under every street of 
the city are also cleansed and purified to 
such an extent that parties of ladies and 
gentlemen pass through them in boats, as 
being among the underground curiosities 
of Paris. More than ordinary care is now 
being taken, and houses and premises are 
being rigidly inspected. The large main 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



163 



sewers, of which there are seven, are 
cleansed by means of four good-sized 
steamboats, provided with drop-phmks in 
front, whereby such a head of water is 
obtained as to drive all the sediment, 
stones included, to the distance of three 
hundred feet out into the Seine. A large 
portion of the foul water is now clarified 
by chemical agents, and the sediment 
sold for manure at a profit. It takes six- 
teen days to cleanse the whole extent of 
the sewers. The aggregate length of all 
the sewers now built is one million eight 
hundred thousand feet. 

THE CHAMPS ELYSEES ON SUNDAY. 

Sunday was a bright and beautiful 
day, and the scene on the Champs Elys6es 
during the afternoon was viewed with 
great interest by the thousands of 
strangers now in the city. To witness 
this display of Parisian life, a carriage- 
drive gives but a poor idea of its pe- 
culiarities. To view it properly, it is 
necessary to join the people in their holi- 
day games and amusements, and to ram- 
ble with them through the splendid 
gardens, groves, and ornamental shrub- 
bery and fountains with which this 
pleasure-ground of the people is adorned. 
It is a beautiful panoramic scene from a 
carriage driven along the grand avenue 
which passes through it, especially at 
night, when it is so brilliantly illumi- 
nated ; but, having frequently viewed it in 
this way, both by day and night, we 
undertook a pedestrian investigation of its 
attractions on Sunday afternoon. As we 
passed from Avenue Marigny, it seemed 
as if we were entering the precincts of a 
grand mass-meeting of all the children 
of Paris, who were here by thousands, 
the younger of them in charge of parents 
or nurses, but the vast majority taking 
care of themselves. It was at times diffi- 
cult to thread our way through them. 
All manner of contrivances for their 
amusement were in progress, the most 
popular of which appeared to be Punch 
and Judy shows, the little stages being 
fitted up with scenery and curtains, and 
the automatic performers made to hold 
conversations and to crack jokes of a 
local charactfer, which drew forth shouts 
of laughter from old and young. There 
were not less than a dozen of these little 
theatres in progress, around each of 
which there were several hundred specta- 
tors, mostly children, who were occupy- 
ing the seats at ten centimes (about two 
cents) each. The performances lasted 
about half an hour, when the chairs 



were cleared, and the play resumed again 
so soon as a sufficient audience was seated. 
The standing spectatoi-s paid nothing, 
and these always outnumbered those occu- 
pying the chairs. Under the groves were 
toy- and gingerbread- stalls, and other 
attractions for the rising generation, 
whilst jugglers and itinerant tumblers 
were attracting a willing and ever-chang- 
ing throng of spectators. A dozen or 
more revolving -horse machines, with 
children astride of wooden ponies, were 
in motion, and little temples with scales 
for ascertaining the weight of young hu- 
manity were doing a successful business. 
There are also various concert-gardens 
and caf6s scattered among the trees on 
either side, where open-air concerts were 
in progress to large audiences. The 
avenue for driving and promenading, 
which is a mile and a quarter long, and 
fully two hundred feet in width, was 
thronged with vehicles, whilst the lively 
spectacle was being enjoyed by thousands 
of persons seated on the iron chairs with 
which the sidewalks are lined. These 
chairs are rented for two or three sous 
the hour, they being owned by a company 
which pays twelve thousand francs per 
annum to the city for the privilege. The 
city also receives fifty thousand francs 
per annum for rents from the Punch and 
Judy shows. A number of little car- 
riages, each holding six to nine children, 
drawn by six goats in harness, were 
doing a good business, the boys occupy- 
ing the drivei's' seats and plying the whip 
with great dexterity. As night set in, all 
the cafes were brilliantly illuminated, 
and bands of music in the concert-gardens 
gave additional animation to the scene. 
The circus-building was also illuminated, 
and the doors thrown open for a grand 
equestrian performance, with all the 
usual stale jokes and clap-trap perform- 
ances which prove so attractive to Young 
America. 

The avenue through the Champs Ely- 
sees is the grand thoroughfare to the 
great park of Paris, the Bois de Bou- 
logne, with the Place de la Concorde at 
one end of it and the Arch of Triumph 
at the other. Indeed, the Louvre and 
Tuileries Gardens, the Place du Carrou- 
sel, the Place de la Concorde in the 
Champs Elysees, and the Bois de Bou- 
logne, are all connected, forming one di- 
rect line of pleasure-grounds from the 
heart of Paris out to the fortifications, a 
distance of six or seven miles. The 
boulevards and streets have, however, of 
late years greatly encroached on the 



164 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



Champs Elysees, leaving but a narrow 
strip of its former dimensions. 

THE PLACE DE LA CONCORDE. 

On all the public buildings of France 
the words " Liberty, Equality, and Fra- 
ternity" are emblazoned in large and 
deeply-cut letters, which Horace Clreeley 
would term a " flaunting lie." So the 
great square in the heart of the city is 
called the " Place de la Concorde," upon 
which there has been more human blood 
spilt, and more scenes of horror and con- 
fusion, than upon any other similar space 
of ground under the canopy of heaven. 
It is, however, a majestic square, and its 
adornments are very grand. In the cen- 
tre stands the famous Obelisk of Luxor, 
a monolith that was brought from Thebes 
by Napoleon, it having been part of the 
grand temple erected fifteen hundred 
and fifty years before the birth of 
Christ. It has also two of the finest foun- 
tains in Europe, and various specimens of 
elegant statuary. It forms a beautiful link 
between theTuileriesand the Champs Ely- 
sees. On the north are two palaces, be- 
tAveen which the Rue Royale opens a view 
of the IMadeleine ; to the south are the 
Pont de la Concorde and the Legislative 
Palace, behind which is seen towering the 
gilded dome of the Invalides, under which 
repose the remains of Napoleon. The 
following are some of the scenes of blood 
which have transpired in this " Place de 
la Concorde" during the past two hun- 
dred years : 

In 1770, during the rejoicings in honor 
of the marriage of Louis XVI., whilst 
the fire-works were being dischai'ged, the 
people took a panic, and one thousand 
two hundred persons were trampled to 
death, whilst two thousand were badly 
wounded. More than two thousand eight 
hundred persons were executed in this 
square by the guillotine, including Louis 
XVI., Charlotte Corday, Marie Antoinette, 
Danton, Robespierre, and Dumas, all 
during the eighteen months succeeding 
January 21, 1793. The first disturbance 
which ushered in the revolution of 1848 
took place here. It was here also that a 
desperate conflict took place only two 
years ago between the Communists and 
the Versailles troops, during which the 
earth was soaked with blood. The " Place 
de la Discorde" would be a more appro- 
priate name. 

OLD CURIOSITY-SHOPS. 

There must be an immense demand in 
Paris for ancient things, such as are usu- 



ally consigned to the rubbish-room in a 
well-regulatedximerican household. There 
is scarcely a square throughout the whole 
length and breadth of Paris that has not 
its old curiosity-shop, — just such places as 
Dickens chose for the scene of one of his 
sweetest stories. How it is possible for 
any one to desire any of the articles in 
these masses of rubbish it is difficult to 
conceive, but they are daily ransacked by 
the English antiquarians, and many of 
them are doubtless manufactured to meet 
the demand. Old china of past genera- 
tions, old stained and defaced engravings, 
ancient-looking paintings, all cracked and 
defaced, some of them like JMark Twain's 
A^irgins, "with fly-blisters on their 
breasts," form the staple commodities 
of these establishments. Then there are 
old chairs and tables, some of them with 
three legs, just as they were left by 
Julius Caesar or Mark Antony; heathen 
gods and goddesses, idd Roman lamps, 
and other odds and ends, all covered with 
dust and cobwebs to blind the eyes of 
these modern collectors. On Boulevard 
Haussmannwe passed this afternoon four 
of these establishments, all adjoining each 
other, and in the narrow streets they are 
so numerous as to strike the stranger 
with wonder. There are enough of them 
to set up an opposition to the great mu- 
seum of antiquities at Munich, through 
which we wandered and wondered a few 
weeks since. 

BUSINESS- WOMEN. 

There are very few establishments in 
Paris, wholesale or retail, in which 
women do not occupy most of the im- 
portant positions of trust and responsi- 
bility. In a great many of the largest 
and most successful establishments the 
wife is the principal business-manager, 
and to her all matters of importance are 
referred. An American gentlenuin who 
has been exploring the wholesale estab- 
lishments assures me that this is more 
generally the case than in those of a retail 
character. When purchasing goods, all 
important questions were answered by 
the female clerks or saleswomen, the 
males evidently holding subordinate posi- 
tions. In many cases the wife was called 
upon to answer questions or make agree- 
ments when the husband was present, 
indicating that she was the brains of the 
establishment. There can be no doubt 
that the average Frenchwoman is supe- 
rior in intellect to the average French- 
man, as she is superior to him in physical 
development and address. Passing the 



A^fERICAN SPECTACLES. 



165 



little stores at night, the vrife is seen at 
the desk, pen in hand, keeping the books, 
and thousands of the smaller of the Paris 
stores are kept by women. They have 
great business capacity, energy, and en- 
terprise, and take more than their full 
share in supplying the means for the 
maintenance of the household. A French- 
man remarked the other day that he be- 
lieved there were as many wives in Paris 
who support their hus})ands as there are 
husbands who support their wives. She 
almost invariably manages to live free of 
house-rent by renting a Hat of rooms and 
sub-renting enough of them to pay the rent 
for the whole. The American ladies who 
visit Europe and squander so much money 
•which they had no part in earning, gen- 
erally return better satisfied with their 
positions in life, and convinced that their 
destiny has been more fortunate than that 
of most of the sisterhood of creation. 

SOCIAL QUESTIONS. 

There is nothing that we take so much 
interest in investigating, whilst roaming 
through these European cities, as the 
great social questions which assume such 
different shapes. We are bad enough at 
home, but we have not yet reached the 
deplorable condition of these great cen- 
tres of European civilization. We have 
" social evils," but they are recognized as 
evils. Here and over a great portion of 
the Continent these evils in a more aggra- 
vated shape are recognized as necessary 
to the form of government, and no effort 
is made to reform or remedy them. In 
order that those of your citizens who 
profess to have a preference for the mon- 
archial form of government may know 
some of the very essentials of its exist- 
ence, and the degradation it brings upon 
a great portion of the people, we have in 
this correspondence touched upon many 
subjects that are by many persons regarded 
as "open secrets," only to be hinted at, 
but not discussed or described. As we 
do not belong to this school of modern 
philosophers, we shall endeavor in this 
letter to present your readers with an 
accurate statement in regard to the French 
law of marriage, and the evils which 
spring from its enforcement here in Paris, 
together with its aggravation by that other 
necessity of all monarchial governments, 
"a standing army." 

MATRIMONIAL AGENCIES. 

The matrimonial agencies of Paris do 
a thriving business. They are located 
in all sections of th^ city, and are of 



different classes, according to the wealth 
and standing of the families of the parties 
they deal with, — young men who are 
looking for a wife with a good dowry, 
the money consideration being the main 
incentive, and parents who have mar- 
riageable daughters, being the principal 
customers. The agents, when they eti'ect 
a marriage, stipulate that they shall 
receive five per cent, of the dowry, and 
generally manage also to get a good re- 
taining-fee from both parties. The larger 
establishments are in correspondence with 
similar agencies on all parts of the Con- 
tinent, and have become a necessity to 
parents who are looking out for eligible 
wives for their sons and responsible 
husbands for their daughters. The suc- 
cessful tradesman who has accumulated 
a fortune desires his daughters to marry 
in a higher circle than that in which he 
associates : hence the necessity of an agent 
to make the necessary advances. Then 
elaborate papers must be prepared and 
signed before the marriage is consum- 
mated, and unless the dowry is paid down 
at the stipulated time the engagement is 
off. To manage all these preliminaries 
requires practical knowlege and expe- 
rience which few parties in private life 
could be expected to possess. The agency 
of Madame St. Just only does openly 
what hundreds of others have for ages 
been doing secretly, and she has at once 
risen to the head of the profession. She 
is one of those business geniuses who 
believe in advertising, and she is, of 
course, pushing aside all the old fogies 
who have transacted their business as if 
secrecy was necessary to all their move- 
ments. Madame St. Just says the French 
law of marriage, and the national custom, 
render matrimonial agencies a necessity, 
and in a recent trial the courts have sus- 
tained the position she has taken. No 
one under twenty-five years of age, either 
son or daughter, can marry without the 
consent of his or her parents, or, if the 
parents are dead, without the consent of 
the grandparents, if any are living. If 
none of them are living, applicants must 
substantiate the fact by bringing certifi- 
cates of their death and burial. Thus 
it will be seen that parents make all the 
arrangements for marriage, and, as they 
do not know who are the eligible parties 
in the matrimonial market, they must 
apply to those who make it a business to 
keep a record, with the pedigree and 
pecuniary standing or prospects, of all the 
young men and girls who are similarly 
eligible. If John Smith should have 



166 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



settled on his daughter a dowry of twenty 
thousand francs, he has a money interest 
in securing for her a husband similarly 
endowed, and he Avants the guarantee of 
a responsible agent that there is no false 
pretense being practiced upon him. IIow 
would he be able to ascertain that Tom 
Brown, who applied for the hand of Miss 
Smith, was all that he represented him- 
self to be, and whether his father was 
responsible for the twenty thousand 
francs which he had promised to give his 
son on the morning of his marriage, or 
how would he know that there were 
twenty or thirty young men of good 
fixmily and good money-standing who are 
anxious to secure a wife with the tAventy- 
thousand-franc charm possessed by Miss 
Smith, if there were not an agent to apply 
to who kept a record of .all such young- 
aspirants for matrimony ? Or how would 
the parents of these young men know 
that there was such an eligible party 
as Miss Smith in existence, if they had 
not applied to Madame St. Just for the 
information? 

THE FRENCH MARRIAGE-LAWS. 

Young men over twenty-five and young 
womes over tAventy-one years of age can 
marry without the consent of their pa- 
rents, but still they have many difficulties 
to encounter before theycan become united. 
Indeed, the obstructions to marriage are 
so great that it is not to be AA^ondered at 
that there are twenty thousand illegit- 
imate births in Paris per annum. To 
marry, according to French law, publica- 
tion of the marriage must be tAvice made 
by the mayor of the commune in Avhich 
each of the parties resides, with an in- 
terval of eight days between each publica- 
tion. A ]3reliminary civil service is then 
celebrated by the mayor of the commune 
in which one of the parties has lived for 
six months. The parties must produce 
the certificate of their birth or baptism, 
or, if not to be had, a declaration of seven 
persons made before the juge de paix of 
the date and place of birth of the party, 
and the consent of their parents properly 
authenticated ; and if their parents are 
dead, certificates of their burial, and the 
consent of the grandmother and grand- 
father, if living. If agencies are neces- 
sary for parents to dispose of their chil- 
dren, how much more necessary are they 
to enable a man over tAventy-five to find 
out where the girls are with good dowries ! 
He can well afford to give the agent five 
per cent, of the dowry, and save time and 
make money by so doing. And how 



Avould it be possible to wade through 
such intricate legal arrangements Avith- 
out each party having a legal adviser at 
their elbow to watch the other contract- 
ing party and see that no trickery or ras- 
cality is being practiced? 

These matrimonial agents, of course, 
have nothing to do Avith any marriage- 
contracts in which the heart has any lot 
or part in deciding the destiny of the par- 
ties. Sometimes children are plighted by 
their parents to each other at a tender 
age, and are brought up with the tacit 
understanding that they are to be married 
at the proper time. In these cases, love 
has, of course, some chance to play his 
part, and matrimonial agents are un- 
necessary. Nothing ever interferes Avith 
the consummation of such marriages ex- 
cept a reverse in business, or some other 
cause which may prevent the bride's pa- 
rents from meeting their contract as to 
the amount of dower. If this is not forth- 
coming, hearts must go to the dogs, as this 
is a money consideration for which no 
prudent father will accept any " promise 
to pay." The money must be paid down 
in hard cash to the satisfaction of the 
legal advisers of the family before the 
ceremony is alloAved to proceed. The 
father of the groom regards a promise 
made before marriage as of the same char- 
acter as the promise of a politician before 
election-day. The latter are sometimes 
trusted and ahvays suspected, but the 
French father never trusts in any prom- 
ises that are to be fulfilled after marriage. 
If the doAvry is not forthcoming, the son 
quietly submits to the decision of his pa- 
rents, pulls off" his kid gloves and rolls 
them up in tissue-paper so that they may 
not be soiled, and to have them in readiness 
for use whenever ma and pa may call upon 
him to be ready to meet some other young 
lady whose paternal treasury is in a more 
flourishing condition. If he intended to 
make any bridal presents, he gathers these 
up, looks at the ])Ouquet in his button-hole, 
Avhich Avon't keep for another occasion, 
Avith sadness as so much money lost, and 
follows his parents home, stopping on the 
Avay to witness some one of the ever- 
recurring fetes, and to take a cream at 
one of the boulevard cafes. 

OMITTING THE CEREMONY. 

With all these obstructions to overcome, 
it is scarcely to be wondered at that so 
many young French people " omit the 
ceremony,'" especially when the heart has 
something to do Avith the matter. To 
carry out all the provisions of the law, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



167 



and to be married in due form, is also a 
very expensive undertaking, which neither 
party may have the means to meet. The 
mayors and other officials all receive fees, 
and it requires both time and money to 
get all the certificates that are required 
properly signed, and sealed, and attested 
by the official authorities. There are 
also preliminary Church ceremonies to 
go through with, which combine to make 
matrimony not only a very serious mat- 
ter, but one that is very troublesome and 
very expensive. It must be a bold young 
man who would undertake to go through 
them without a heavy money considera- 
tion, and if there is any heart in the mat- 
ter, and no money, they have neither the 
time, money, nor patience to conform to 
the provisions of the law. Where there 
is heart in the matter, and parents refuse 
their consent, they often "jump the cere- 
mony," and, if love holds out, they have 
the ceremony performed after they at- 
tain legal age, which legitimatizes the 
children, provided they were, before the 
marriage, recognized by the father in an 
authentic manner, as in the register of 
births, or by declaration before a notary, 
or even in the marriage-act itself. If 
love does not hold out, they separate, and 
the wife becomes a grisette of the Latin 
Quarter, or a dancing temptress at the Ma- 
bille Garden or the Chateau Rouge, her 
children going to the Foundling Hospital. 
Whilst living together, the parents tempt 
their son with olfer^of beauty and dowry 
to abandon her, and generally succeed, 
though sometimes love and attachment 
are too strong to yield to the tempter. 

SOCIAL DEGRADATIONS. 

Where the legal obstructions and the 
expenses of the marriage ceremony are so 
great, there is little or no social degrada- 
tion accompanying the total disregard of 
it. To condemn many who " omit the 
ceremony," would be to crush human 
instincts ; for these associations are prob- 
ably the only ones in France that the 
heart has much lot or part in before their 
consummation. Every man and woman 
feels that the parties have done precisely 
as he or she would have done under all the 
circumstances. If they continue to live 
together in good faith, and subsequently 
marry as a means of legitimatizing their 
children, they are more entitled to re- 
spect than if they had been lawfully mar- 
ried, or rather sold for a price by their 
parents. Although there is no opportu- 
nity for love before marriage in all these 
money-marriages, it does not follow that 



love does not come after marriage. In- 
deed, the advocates of the French mat- 
rimonial law contend that happy unions 
are more likely to follow these business 
transactions than if the parties had al- 
ready gone through the courting pro- 
cess, Avith all its lovers' quarrels and its 
close intimacies. They also contend that 
young people are incapable of judging 
for themselves, and that they have no 
right to bring into their circle parties 
who may be objectionable to the heads 
of their respective families. They do 
not look to the evils resulting from these 
matrimonial obstructions among the 
poorer classes of the community, nor 
do they at the same time put any mark 
of degradation upon them. 

ANOTHER KIND OF AGENCY. 

These agencies being a necessity under 
the French law governing marriages, 
they have of course given rise to another 
class of agencies, equally numerous, 
which contemplate association at the will 
of the parties without marriage. They 
are not conducted so openly as to matri- 
monial agency, and the dark side of the 
contract is kept out of sight. A young 
man who has rented a roim, desiring a 
companion of the opposite sex to take 
care of his clothing, make his cotfee for 
him in the morning, and tuck him in at 
night, and, in fact, to be his servant, ap- 
plies to these agencies ; or a girl desiring 
to be thus provided for applies for a place, 
just as a servant-girl in America goes and 
records her name at an intelligence-office. 
To properly appreciate this condition of 
affairs, it must be remembered that here 
in Paris there are thirty to forty thousand 
soldiers, who are prohibited under any 
circumstances from marrying during the 
four j'cars of their service ; tliat there are 
fifty thousand young men who have not 
the means of marrying or paying the ex- 
penses of the ceremony, and never will 
be able to accomplish either; and that 
there are a still larger number who are 
awaiting the decision of father and mother 
as to their marital destiny. These young 
people, especially those of the poorer 
classes, have been raised without the re- 
motest thought or expectation of ever 
being married. Their mothers and ftithers 
before them wei-e never married, and they 
have been raised as waifs, with few family 
ties and influences. They see the friends 
and associates of their infancy taking 
this anomalous position in life, and they 
fall into it also, without a thought that 
they are doing otherwise than what the 



168 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



good Lord intended them to do. Still, 
this is a country in which the Church 
and the State are united, and the Church 
makes no effort to remedy this great so- 
cial evil. These men and women attend 
church with more regularity than those 
who have had the sanction and ceremo- 
nies of the Church, and have no reason 
to believe that they are not leading 
blameless lives ; at least, they are never 
told to the contrary. The Church un- 
doubtedly winks at the evil, probably 
having come to the conclusion that the 
necessity for standing armies, and the en- 
forcement of the matrimonial laws, ren- 
der the grisette a necessary evil, and that 
it would evince a lack of patriotism on 
the part of the priesthood if they were to 
attempt to have the laws of God respected 
and enforced among the poorer classes. 
It may be regarded as an open question 



whether, in view of the condition of so-;>«irope where the American is so systemat- 
ciety that exists in Paris, these establish- " " - ■ ■ - - 
ments are not quite as necessary as the 
matrimonial agency. 



tion, and only ten minutes left to reach 
the depot and catch the departing train 
when he received his bill ? Then, again, to 
the American tourist " time is money,'' 
and he would rather part with his money 
than waste time in quarreling over a few 
florins or lose his temper when he is on a 
pleasure-trip. Then, as to the servants, 
the American feels a commiseration for 
these poor devils, who receive no wages 
from the landlord. He charges heavily 
in the bills for "service," but puts it all 
in his own pocket. The American I'eels, 
with respect to these servants, that he is 
doing a charitable act when he nu\kes 
them happy with a few florins and pays 
them for service to himself and family for 
which they would otherwise go unpaid. It 
is a part of his enjoyment of travel to do a 
little good as he goes along through the 
Old World. But there is no place in Eu- 



ENGLISH AND AMERICAN TRAVELERS. 

Our English cousins from across the 
Channel who are traveling on the Conti- 
nent have just vented their grievances 
against American tourists in a very able 
article in the Saturday Review. They say 
that the Americans are demoralizing ho- 
tel-keepers, servants, beggars, and the 
w'hole host of people with whom they 
come in contact, to such an extent that 
the plain English traveler, with limited 
means, is invarialily snubbed and given 
poor ((uarters and attention wherever 
Americans are abundant. Americans are 
charged with coming to Europe to run 
hastily over the Continent, limited in time, 
but unlimited in means, and that they de- 
mand the best rooms, the best attendance, 
are lavish in their fees to servants, and 
never dispute the landlords' bills. This 
is all very true; but Brother Bull must 
remember that most Americans don't 
understand the language, and could not 
dispute the bills if they were so disposed, 
as it would require something more than 
linguistic knowledge to read and under- 
stand any part of most of the bills except 
the figures at the end of the lines, and the 
grand total. We remember having sub- 
mitted a bill which we paid at Dresden to 
a good German scholar, and he could not 
decipher one charge in a dozen on the long 
list of items covering two foolscap pages. 
How was it possible for an American to 
dispute such a bill, especially if he had no 
words at command to vent his indigna- tempt to commence conversation by signs 



ically fleeced as in London. This is the 
experience of every American that we 
have met with. In Paris the charges 
are high, but not so high as in London, 
and here the American gets good food 
and good attendance, neither of Avhich can 
be had in London. The London Times, 
whilst denouncing the extortions of Vi- 
enna, ought to look to the condition of 
affairs at its own doors, which are equally 
bad. Good beds, without bugs, can be 
had in Paris and Vienna, but we have 
never been able to find them in London. 
And as to the begging of servants, Lon- 
don is ahead of the Continent. If a ser- 
vant in a London hotel is asked the 
simplest question, he expects to be paid 
for his answer, and everybody about the 
building is watching and waiting for an 
opportunity to put in his claim. Ameri- 
cans who travel in Europe are used to 
good living and good attendance when 
they travel at home, and they are willing 
to pay something extra for the best they 
can get when away from home. 

AMENITIES OF TRAVEL. 

The Saturday Review is correct when it 
says that the American and Englishman 
do not assimilate when traveling. Al- 
though in the same section of a car or on 
the same boat on one of the lakes, they 
seldom exchange a word, and never unless 
the American breaks the ice. Their an- 
swei^s to questions are in monosyllables, 
and the questioner feels as if he were 
being snubbed for having asked them. 
After one or two attempts of this kind, 
the American feels more disposed to at- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



169 



and motions with a Turk than to make 
an efibrt to open any social intercourse 
Avith the Englishman who may be sitting 
on the other side of him. The fact is 
that John Bull is a surly and suspicious 
character. He thinks that every man 
who approaches him without an intro- 
duction has some evil intentions, and at 
once becomes so watchful that he is as 
dumb as an oyster. In a good deal of 
experience in Continental traveling we 
have never known an Englishman to 
commence or invite a conversation, al- 
though we have met with some who have 
ultimately proved very pleasant and 
agreeable traveling companions. But 
this money-question is the one that is in- 
variably predominant in their minds. 
They always pant to know how it is that 
so many Americans are able to bring 
their whole families to Europe and spend 
money so lavishly ; how it is possible 
for us to go on so rapidly in the payment 
of our national debt, etc. The natural 
and only answers that can be given to 
these questions they set down as American 
gasconade, American boasting and exag- 
geration. It thus often happens that 
what might otherwise have been a pleas- 
ant traveling acquaintance ends with 
ill-feeling, and the American resolves in 
future to stand aloof from all intercourse 
wath Englishmen. During five months' 
travel, we have exchanged words with 
but one Englishman, and he was intro- 
duced to us by a Hungarian. 

Duval's "boucherie." 
We never pass this magnificent estab- 
lishment, right in the heart of the city, 
within a stone's thi'ow of the Madeleine, 
on the corner of one of the most central 
of the boulevards, without conjuring up 
the ghosts of Colonel Mabe Turner, Ster- 
ling Thomas, Marcus Wolfe, Harry Kim- 
berly, and a host of the departed Balti- 
more butchers, who years ago fought so 
energetically to induce the City Council 
to prevent the sale of meat from the pro- 
vision stores. We remember that we dif- 
fered with them as to the propriety of 
tlieir proposed action, and we think they 
all lived to admit that they were wrong. 
But we would like them to be hei-e, in 
spirit at least, to take a stroll through 
the boulevards, and to stand with us, as 
we do almost daily, and view the internal 
arrangements of this "boucherie," and 
the stirring scene alM'ays in progress 
within its precincts. The establishment 
fronts about one hundred feet on Rue 
Neuve des Mathurins, and about sixty 



feet on the Boulevard Tronchet. There 
is but one door for entrance and exit, but 
nearly the entire of its combined front is 
of iron bars, making it virtually open to 
the street in warm weather, though there 
are inside sashes which can be closed in 
winter. Directly opposite the entrance 
is an elegant white-mai'ble inclosure, be- 
hind which sit two clerks, one a very 
handsome and elegantly-dressed lady, icho 
handles all the money, and the other a 
spruce young Frenchman, who makes the 
entries. There is another smaller elabo- 
rately-ornamented desk at the left side of 
the door, at which another clerk takes 
note of all the cards that are passed up 
to be settled. Between these two desks 
there is a variegated-marble fountain, in 
the basin of which tripe and calves' heads 
are kept for sale. The walls of the 
" l)Oucherie" are faced with white marble, 
and all the tables are of white marl)le, 
with ornamental iron legs finely gilded. 
On the racks on the walls the cattle are 
suspended in quarters, and are dressed 
with all the care that our butchers some- 
times bestow on show-beef. We counted 
yesterday morning thirty quarters of 
beef, fifteen calves, and forty sheep, 
hanging up Avhole, besides the cut meat 
that was on the blocks and tables. The 
salesmen in their neat white dresses — 
fully twenty in number — were waiting on 
their customers, and all kept busy. The 
Parisian never buys his meat until he is 
ready to cook it : hence the necessity of 
these establishments, which are to be 
found, to the number of nine hundred, in 
all sections of the city, though we have 
seen none that will compare in extent 
with Duval's "Boucherie." Everything 
is kept scrupulously sweet and clean. 
The hooks upon which the meat is sus- 
pended are of polished steel, and are 
always kept polished. The floors are 
sprinkled with clean sawdust, and bear 
the evidence of being daily scrubbed, and, 
what is most singular, even in this Au- 
gust weather scarcely a fly could be seen 
within its precincts. The strangers in 
the city invariably stop as they pass, and 
regard it as an appetizing curiosity, 
keeping in remembrance the numerous 
unsavory establishments of a somewhat 
similar character at home. There does 
not appear to be a market anywhere in 
Paris in which meat is sold, though there 
are poultry-markets, flower-markets, fruit- 
markets, grape-markets, and vegetable- 
markets in abundance. The butcher 
transacts his business at home or in rented 
shops, — which is much more convenient to 



170 



EUROPE VIEWED THBOUGR 



the people, and probably equally profit- 
able to himself. He buys his cattle, but 
has nothing to do with its killing or dress- 
ing for the inarket. We have something 
to learn from Paris in this respect before 
Baltimore gets rid of the droves of cattle 
passing through the streets, and the naus- 
eous smells in the vicinity of slaughter- 
houses. 

The window-sills of this " boucherie," 
and indeed of nearly all similar establish- 
ments, are always ornamented with flow- 
ers and i-are exotics in full bloom. In 
the pork department, across the ceilings 
are iron racks, upon which hams and 
tongues are suspended, the hooks of 
which are kept clean and bright. There 
are rooms in the rear in which the meat 
is cut up, and in which a reserve supply 
is kept to be brought forward when de- 
sired. Calves are seldom slaughtered 
until they are five or six months old, and 
the veal of Paris is of a very superior 
quality. 

HORSK-BUTCHERIES. 

In some sections of Paris the butcher- 
ies keep for sale horse-meat, which is sold 
at about one-half the price of beef, and 
is extensively used by the poor. AVhen 
cut up and hanging on the shambles, sit 
is difficult for the inexperienced to tell it 
from beef, and when tolerably young it is 
said by those who use it to be equally 
tender and palatable. It is preferred to 
the meat of old cows and bulls, with 
which our army was so extensively fed 
by some of the contractors during " the 
late unpleasantness." The abattoir or 
place of slaughter for horses is at the 
village of Les Vertes, where about twenty 
thousand horses are slaughtei-ed per an- 
num, and the meat sent to Paris. Before 
the late siege, horses were worked to 
death ; but now when they cease to be 
active they are sold to the butchers, who 
fatten and kill them. A dead horse is 
worth nothing, but a live horse has his 
price, although he may be good for noth- 
ing else but the tender mercy of the 
butcher. Horses in Paris have heavy 
loads to draw, and if used in omnibuses 
or carriages must be able to travel fast. 
When incompetent to meet either of 
these requirements, a horse soon finds his 
way to the village of Les Vertes. 

A NEW CLASS OF EMIGRANTS. 

A throng of emigrants passed through 
Paris yesterday on their way to America, 
which is but the commencement of a 
more extended emii^ration of the same 



character. They consisted of fifty nuns 
and Sisters of Charity, from the old de- 
yiartments of Ilaut-Pihin and Bas-Rhin. 
There is undoubtedly a superabundance 
of these good people in all parts of 
France, and they can supply the world 
with all they want of them, without suf- 
fering in the least on account of their 
absence. An immense number of priests, 
of the Jesuit Order, who have been ex- 
pelled from Germany, are also taking 
passage for America. It is hard to say 
what the Old World would do with all its 
supernumeraries if it had not America 
to ship them off" to. We have always 
imagined priests and soldiers to be the 
pests of Europe, eating up the substance 
of the people and producing nothing. It 
is to be hoped that these emigrants will try 
and make themselves useful in America. 

EXEMPTION FROM FIRES. 

The great fires we are constantly having 
in the United States give to Europeans a 
very poor idea of the construction of our 
great cities. The outcry against the man- 
sard roofs, as the cause of these great con- 
flagrations, is amusing to the people of 
Paris, where almost evei-y house is con- 
structed with that appendage, and none 
but the public buildings have \vo\\ super- 
structures to them. Fires in Paris are 
always confined to the building in which 
they originate, and if they commence in 
the lower part of the building they sel- 
dom reach the mansard roofs. The fact 
is, these houses are not built to be burned, 
but to stand until time and the spirit of 
improvement call for their demolition. 
In the more modern buildings iron is 
substituted for wood, inside and outside, 
and it takes a long time for a fire to get 
under way to such an extent that it cannot 
be extinguished with buckets. Even the 
lattice window-shutters are now made of 
iron, and they are so simple in their con- 
struction that they are cheaper than the 
ordinary wooden shutters. They are of 
one solid piece of sheet-iron, and the lat- 
tice portion of an entire window is made 
by machinery at the rate of one per min- 
ute, by being run under a roller, which 
cuts and presses them into shape. In the 
whole city of Paris there is but one steam 
fire-engine, and it is so seldom required 
that it is periodically put in motion, to 
be sure that it is always in order. 

We have n(nv been four weeks in Paris, 
and there has not been in that time even 
an alarm of fire, and we see no notices in 
the papers of any conflagrations. When 
it is borne in mind that the population is 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



171 



more than six times as lari^e as that of 
Baltimore, some idea may be formed of 
the genei-al exemption. The houses here 
are packed more closely together than 
they are with us, and extend some twenty 
or thirty feet on an average higher up in 
the air than ours do. There are also from 
six to a dozeu or more fomilies in every 
house, which of itself would seem to 
render them more liable to accidental 
combustion. The stairs and balusters are 
required to be constructed of stone and 
iron, and the lower floors are generally 
arched and laid in cement. The law is 
peremptory as to the manner of construc- 
tion, but, instead of attempting to evade 
the law, builders contrive in every way 
to make their buildings more thoroughly 
fire-proof. Board-yards and packing-box 
factories are never allowed to be in con- 
tiguity to thickly-settled neighborhoods, 
and hence when such tinder-boxes take 
fire they burn out without damaging any 
one but themselves. 

The firemen of Pai-is, called " sapeurs 
pompiers," consisting of a regiment of 
two thousand men, are organized on a 
militai'y footing, and under the orders of 
the War Department, but in case of fire 
they obey the oi-ders of the Prefect of 
Police. A portion are on duty every 
evening at the theatres. They are effi- 
cient as soldiers no less than as active 
firemen, and are carefully drilled and 
trained in gymnastics. Medals are an- 
nually awarded to such as have distin- 
guished themselves by their exertions and 
good conduct. The annual cost of the 
force is five hundred and seventy-five thou- 
sand three hundred and ninety francs, 
or about one hundred and twenty thou- 
sand dollars. 

The incendiary fires of the Commune 
in no case spread farther than the struc- 
tures in which the flames originated. 
The Communists did their best to destroy 
all the central portion of Paris, and with 
any American city would have succeeded. 
They had no combustible buildings to 
work with, no tinder-boxes in the heart 
of blocks, and the flames were generally 
extinguished as rapidly as they were ig- 
nited, by the residents of the neighbor- 
hoods. 

A MYSTERIOUS WORK OF ART. 

There is now exhibiting in Paris one 
of the most startling works of genius and 
art that we have ever witnessed. It is a 
diorama of the siege of Paris, and all 
Paris is running wild to view it. There 
is some species of optical illusion in con- 



nection with it, that no one seems able to 
understand. Although a painting, it so 
closely resembles nature that on suddenly 
entering the hall the spectator is bewil- 
dered, and invariably complains of diz- 
ziness as his eye scans the intervening 
scenes and the distant horizon presented 
to view. Of course, as we could not 
understand, we cannot describe, and we 
scarcely expect the reader to believe that 
it was dilficult to realize that we were 
not standing on a lofty eminence between 
the lines of the contending armies, view- 
ing the progress of the siege. The build- 
ing in which the diorama is exhibited is 
circular, and about three hundred feet in 
diameter, with a glass dome. On enter- 
ing it the visitor passes along a rather 
dark passage to what seems the centre 
of the building, and then proceeds up a 
circular series of stone steps, aljout forty 
in number, and finds himself on a circu- 
lar platform on the top of a veritable hill 
of earth, strewn with cannon-balls and 
shell, the object of the artist being to 
place the spectator in the Fin-t of Issy, 
surrounded on every side by the incidents 
of the siege, with the city of Paris, and 
its monuments, domes, and steeples, in 
the distance. By close examination it 
could be discovered that the nearer earth- 
works of the picture, and even some of 
the cannon, for a distance of fifty or sixty 
feet from the edge of the platform, were 
veritable earth, and undoubted cannon, 
and real willow gabions and sand-bags ; 
but the exact spot where the substantials 
ended and the canvas began was not so 
easily detected. The reader must take 
our word for it that, as we stood on the 
platform, representing an elevated posi- 
tion on one of the bastions of Fort Issy, 
it appeared to the mortal vision of all of 
us just as if we were there in reality in 
the midst of the siege. We could scarcely 
believe we were inside of a building, as 
nature was so closely imitated that it 
seemed as if the vision embraced every 
tree and hillock up to Fortress Mont Va- 
lerien, eight or ten miles distant. The 
horizon was perfect all around the circle, 
and there was nothing to indicate that 
we were not out in the open air, ex- 
cept a circular canvas, suspended as if 
from the clouds, high up over our heads, 
and nothing visible anywhere to indicate 
that we were in reality inside of a build- 
ing, viewing a painting. The whole seems 
to be a piece of legerdemain in art that 
has never been attempted before. AVhen 
we came out of the building we involun- 
tarily turned around and measured its 



172 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



size with our eyes, in a vain attempt to 
unravel its mystery. 

HOW PARIS IS PAINTED. 

It would astonish some of our old 
house-painters of Baltimore if they could 
witness the manner in which the painters 
of Paris climb over the fronts of these 
six- and seven-story houses and paint 
them from roof to door-sill without the 
use of ladder, scaffold, or any other 
wooden contrivance, either for themselves 
or their paint-pots. One man, without 
assistance of any kind, can paint the en- 
tire front of one of these tall houses in 
two or three days. Directly opposite our 
quarters, a six-story buildinsf, fronting 
about eighty feet, is undergoing a com- 
plete renovation, and the painting of the 
entire walls has been accomplished by 
two youths, apparently not over nine- 
teen years of age. They are each pro- 
vided with a rope about an inch in di- 
ameter, extending from the apex of the 
roof to the pavement, on which knots, 
one foot apart, are made throughout its 
entire length. By means of an appa- 
ratus with straps, clamps, and hooks, to 
v^rhich is appended a board on which 
they sit, and stirrups to rest the feet in, 
which are strapped to their legs, they 
move up and down the rope with great 
rapidity and apparent ease. They move 
the clamps from knot to knot, and with- 
out changing the position of the rope are 
enabled to paint about six feet on either 
side of them. Their smaller brushes are 
stuck in little loops appended to the seat, 
and the paint^pot is suspended by a 
smaller rope, on which it is fastened by 
a spring of some kind, and is raised or 
lowered with ease as they may desire. 
Long practice has given them great 
agility, and they move up or down, and 
pirouette and oscillate along the front, 
with a great deal more ease than if they 
were on ladders. They use brushes for 
most of their painting nearly double the 
size of those used in America, and make 
rapid progress with their work. Ilouse- 
painting in Paris is a very extensive 
business, as a periodical renovation of 
the houses is rendered imperative by 
law, no one being allowed to disfigure a 
neighborhood by presenting stained and 
darkened walls. The houses being all 
built of a soft cream-colored sandstone, 
many of the finer structures, instead of 
being painted, are re-dressed by the stone- 
cutter, and come out, after undergoing 
the process of scraping and scrubbing, as 
if fresh from the quarry. In alluding to 



the amount of work these lads perform 
in a day, it should be understood that 
tliey commence work at six o'clock in 
the morning and stop at seven o'clock in 
the evening, twelve hours being a day's 
work among the mechanics in Paris. 

GOVERNMENT OF PARIS. 

It may be of interest to our City Fathene 
to know in what way the means for car- 
rying on the expensive city government 
of Paris are obtained. Everything that 
is brought into Paris in the shape of food 
for sale must pay an octroi, or entrance- 
duty, at the gates of the city, or, if by 
boats, at the wharf before it is lauded. 
The receipts from this source last year 
amounted to 102,286,000 francs, or 
$20,448,000 ; market-dues, $2,000,000 ; 
weights and measures, §21,020 ; supply 
of water, $1,028,000 ; slaughter-houses, 
$000,000 ; rents of stands on the public 
ways, $90,060 ; dues on burials, $140,000 ; 
sales of lands in cemeteries, $139,000 •, 
taxes for paving, lighting, etc., $2,100,000; 
trade-licenses, $3,500,000 ; dog-tax, $90,- 
000 ; sale of night-soil, $132,000 : total 
receipts, $39,556,410. 

Among the items of expenditure are, 
interest of debt and sinking-fund, $9,- 
214,000 ; expenses of collections, salaries, 
etc., $1,689,000; primary institutions, 
$1,100,000 ; public worship, $36,000 ; na- 
tional guard and military service, $576,- 
300 ; repairs of public buildings, $346,000 ; 
assistance to the poor, including hospitals, 
$4,469,200 ; promenades and works of art, 
$653,340 ; public schools, $123,200 ; pub- 
lic festivals, $152,000 ; the police depart- 
ment, $3,124,000 ; new public works, 
$4,924,000; lighting streets, $783,200: 
total expenses, $39,416,000. 

It will thus be seen that, notwithstand- 
ing the tribulations through which Paris 
has passed, she spent last year nearly 
$5,000,000 on new public improvements, 
whilst the receipts exceeded the whole 
expenses of the city by nearly $150,000. 
Poor Baltimore, with its "rings" and 
political hunkers, spends literally nothing 
on public improvements, and runs deeper 
in debt every year. The city government 
of Paris is a model for the world, and if 
we must continue to keep the incompe- 
tents in control, do send them over here 
to learn something. 

BUSINESS OF PARIS. 

The stranger visiting Paris is aston- 
ished at the vast numljer of stores and 
places of business which line every street, 
even the narrow thorouohfares in the old 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



173 



portions of the city. Every house, almost, 
has a store iu its lower story, and thou- 
sands of them are occupied for business 
purposes up to the second and third 
stories. On the new boulevards many 
of these stores are empty, and for rent, 
but they are all expected to be occupied 
sooner or later. The wholesale establish- 
ments are g-enerally back in court-yards, 
and can only be found by those who know 
where to look for them. We spent a day 
amon;^ theai with Mr. Samuel Child, and 
in almost every case they were located 
back from the streets, and completely out 
of sight. By the official record we see 
that the whole number of business-estab- 
lishments in the city is set down at 
101,171. Of this number there are 3199 
jewelry-stores; 28,806 in which clothing 
and material for clothing are sold; 7391 
furniture, 2836 textile fabrics, and 29,069 
establishments in which food, groceries, 
and all manner of goods for the inner 
man are provided. The number of hands 
employed in these establishments is set 
down at 417,311. The sales of the in- 
dustrial establishments are estimated at 
3,379,000,000 francs, or $675,980,000, per 
annum. If England can be called "a 
nation of shop-keepers," it would seem 
that France is in a fair way to rival her. 
There are about 1000 manufactories of 
haberdashery ; 141 of paper-hangings ; 
the shawl-trade counts 752 looms ; the 
number of ladies in dress-making estab- 
lishments is 879 ; stay-makers, 653 ; hat- 
stores, 644 ; upholsterers, 519 ; of looking- 
glasses, 120; bronze and gilt work, 450; 
and pastry-cook establishments, 622. The 
sales of this latter trade net twenty-one 
millions of francs per annum, and restau- 
rants one hundred and four millions. 
The rag-collectors, or chiffonniers, of 
Paris, number 22,000, and realize from 
one and a half to two francs per day. The 
number of bakeries in Paris is 960, em- 
ploying 4500 men. In 1863 the price 
of bread was two sous for a pound loaf ; 
it is now four sous. In 1863 the average 
price of meat was twelve to fifteen sous 
per pound ; it is now twenty-two to thirty 
sous. The total number of persons of 
independent fortune, or engaged in lib- 
eral pursuits, is 400,000. 

Paris, September 10, 1873. 

THE FETE OF ST. CLOUD. 

The fete of St. Cloud commenced on 
Sunday last, and continued for three 
weeks. We went out during the after- 
noon to see it. It is held at the town of 
St. Cloud, which is rapidly rising from 



its ashes, having been totally destroyed, 
with the magiiiticent palace, during the 
siege. The Prussians having obtained 
possession, the guns of Mont Valerien 
were turned upon it, and the palace set 
fire to by tlie shells. The town, after 
being half destroyed by the French shells, 
was set fire to by the Prussians, and 
nothing left but the blackened walls. 
The palace, which had l)een the favorite 
residence of Napoleon, is still a mass of 
ruins, but the greater portion of the town 
has since been rebuilt, and the new Ca- 
thedral of St. Cloud, which was in the 
course of erection, has been completed, 
and here the services of the fete were 
held. We reached the upper part of the 
town by raih-oad, and the whole charac- 
ter of the fete was a surprise to us, in 
view of the fact that it is proclaimed that 
a great religious revival is iu progress in 
France. This fete is a Church festival, 
under the direction of the clergy, and 
lasts for three whole weeks, commencing 
every morning with services in the ca- 
thedral. 

CHARACTER OF THE FETE, 

What we expected to see on our visit 
to St. Cloud was a mass of people as- 
sembled to witness the playing of the 
great fountains, which, next to those at 
Versailles, are the finest in France. Hav- 
ing landed at the depot, we walked on 
through the town, stopping occasionally 
to look at the ruins still standing. The 
town is located on the side of a hill, de- 
scending all the way towards the banks 
of the Seine. The streets were filled 
with people, and we followed the crowd 
until we reached the cathedral, which is 
not far from the entrance to the park. 
Here the visitors first entered and made 
their devotions and moved on. It was 
too much crowded for mere spectators to 
venture upon entering, and we passed on 
towards the park. We would like, if it 
were possible, to photograph for your 
readers the scene that was presented to 
our view. The gates open on a wide 
avenue of chestnut-trees, nearly a mile 
in length, running parallel with the river. 
Either side of this avenue was closely 
lined with stalls and booths, and packed 
with people, throughout its entire length, 
whilst flags and streamers and parti-colored 
lamps were everywhere suspended for the 
grand illumination that was to take place 
at night. The booths had displayed all 
manner of fancy articles, cakes, and can- 
dies, not for sale, but to be gambled for 
by the drawing of numbers, turning of 



174 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



wheels, or firinii of air-guns at glass balls 
suspended on the top of jets of water 
over little fountains. The number and 
variety of the games of chance in this 
portion of the park exceeded anything 
we have ever witnessed, many of which 
we could not understand the mode of op- 
erating. The simple manner of buying 
what you wanted seemed to be entirely 
ignored. This portion of the exhil>ition 
was nearly one mile in length, and the 
avenue, more than one hundred feet in 
width, densely packed with people. 

After passing slowly through this scene 
to the immense cascade fountain, located 
about the centre of the avenue, the char- 
acter of the exhibition commenced to 
change, and the woods on either side of 
the road were densely packed with other 
attractions. First came fully fifty large 
tents with revolving horses, not such small 
affairs as we sometimes have for chil- 
dren, but immense establishments, capa- 
ble of sending on a flying circuit fifty 
persons at a time. And they were all 
fully employed, with grown men and 
women mounted on the backs of the 
wooden horses. They were elegantly 
ornamented, with looking-glasses flying 
around on the centre-boards, and flags 
and streamers so closely packed together 
that but a small passage was left between 
them for the spectators to pass. Beyond 
these were revolving wheels, with boxes 
attached, carrying men and women thirty 
feet up in the air, and down and up in 
rapid succession, circular railways, upon 
which car-loads of men and women were 
spinning like tops, and other contrivances 
too numerous to mention. Coming as we 
did to witness a religious fete, all this 
seemed strange and startling, and we 
looked on in amazement, but we must ad- 
mit that everybody was happy and cheer- 
ful, and was fully intent upon making 
everybody else happy. 

A LIVELY SCENE. 

After extricating ourselves from this 
scene of revolving animation, we turned 
to gaze upon it en masse, and as a mov- 
ing panorama we have seen nothing so 
animated, rnless it was the machinery de- 
partment of the Vienna Exposition. Here, 
however, the people were revolving with 
the wheels, and the flags were revolving, 
and tents were spinning like tops, and 
everything was in rotary motion. As we 
moved farther on, the scene changed, and 
we were almost deafened by horns, trum- 
pets, drums, bands, cymbals, hand-organs 
and hurdy-gurdies, all playing different 



tunes, and each endeavoring to drown 
the sound of the other. Immense canvas 
tents filled the woods on either side, 
covered with paintings representing fat 
women, dwarfs, strong men lifting 
weights, giants and giantesses, women 
with beards, circuses, theatres comiques, 
theatres olympiques, etc. They were all, 
to the number of about forty, just open- 
ing for the afternoon performance, and 
had their horses, performers, bands of 
music, dancing-girls, clowns, ponies, strong 
men, and claqueurs out on platforms in 
front to induce the people to enter. On 
some of the platforms girls in semi-nude 
apparel were dancing, knights in armor 
glistening in the sun, and the claqueurs 
were shouting at the top of their voices 
descriptions of the wonderful performances 
that were about to commence. The ex- 
hibition of the performers was to give 
some idea of the performance, just as the 
exhibitor of the fat woman paraded the 
petticoat she wore, that the width of the 
waistband might be seen. All the inter- 
vening space between the tents was 
massed with men, women, and children, 
soldiers, sisters of charity, and priests, 
and some of the latter entered the tents 
to witness the performance. We have been 
at horse-races, cattle-shows, Schlitzen- 
fests, and Mabille gardens, but we have 
never witnessed anything to equal this 
bright Sunday afternoon demonstration 
in honor of St. Cloud. The people were, 
however, enjoying the occasion with all 
the zest of school-boys on a Fourth of July 
frolic. On returning from this portion of 
the park, without having reached its end, 
we found a mass of people pouring in 
which rendered locomotion almost impos- 
sible. The boats were landing thousands 
of visitors from Paris, the railroads were 
bringing in all their trains could carry, 
and the splendid stone bridge across the 
Seine was literally crowded with pedes- 
trians coming to witness the illumination 
and take part in the feast after nightfall. 
There could not, at this time, have been 
less than one hundred thousand people in 
the park, and they were still pouring in 
from every quarter. We had previously 
visited Versailles, explored its gardens 
and galleries of paintings, and were too 
wearied with sight-seeing to remain for 
the illumination, but doubt not there was 
a gay time after nightfall. There were 
also, we must not omit to mention, a half- 
dozen dancing- establishments, placards 
announcing that grand balls would com- 
mence at eight o'clock in the evening. 
From all this we should judge that St. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



175 



Cloud must have been a merry fellow. 
A large number of pilgrims, from dif- 
ferent^parts of France, are going daily to 
St. Cloud. 

PLAYING OF THE FOUNTAINS. 

We went to St. Cloud to see the foun- 
tains play, and the grand cascade. The 
cascade is divided into La Haute Cascade 
and La Basse Cascade ; at the summit of 
the first is a group of statuary represent- 
ing the Seine and Marne, each reposing 
on the urns from which water issues. 
Upon an elevated flight of steps are placed 
urns and tablets, from which water falls 
into basins situated one above another, 
the last supplying, by means of an aque- 
duct, the lower cascade. The Basse Cas- 
cade is in the shape of a horse-shoe, and 
is remarkable for the abundance and 
rapid descent of its waters, Avhich fell in 
sheets, from one basin to another, into a 
basin two hundred and sixty-one feet in 
length by ninety-three in its greatest 
breadth, along which are twelve Je^s cVeau. 
The grand, /e< d'eau, known by the name 
of the Jet Geant, is to the left of the cas- 
cades ; it rises with immense foi'ce to the 
height of one hundred and forty feet from 
the centre of a basin, and throws up five 
thousand gallons per minute. It is un- 
doubtedly a majestic spectacle when in 
full play, and, having secured some chairs, 
we enjoyed the scenefornearlyan hour he- 
fore our departure. We should judge the 
highest point of the cascade to be nearly 
one hundred feet, but it is impossibly to 
describe it so as to be understood by the 
reader. 

We returned to Paris by one of the 
steamboats on the Seine, having a fine 
view of the surroundings of Paris and the 
numerous elegant stone bridges by which 
the river is spanned, most of which have 
the letter N emblazoned on them, signi- 
fying their erection during the reign of 
Napoleon, and all are ornamented with 
statuary and bas-reliefs. 

MORE SUNDAY AMUSEMENTS. 

On this same Sunday afternoon, in 
honor of the fete of St. Cloud, we pre- 
sume, the first grand fall races took place 
at Longchamps, the race-ground of the 
Bois de Boulogne. On our return to 
Paris the Champs Elysees was thronged 
with carriages and pedestrians, as far as 
the eye could reach, returning from the 
rac<;s, full reports of which appeared in 
the papers of Monday morning. Gali- 
gnani says the attendance was not as good 
as usual, as the fashionable world is still 



at the seaside and watering-places, "and 
the fete of St. Cloud formed a rival attrac- 
tion for pleasure-seekei's of the multitude." 
To the stranger coming from England or 
America these scenes are rather startling, 
especially when accompanied by long 
details in the papers of great religious 
revivals, pilgrimages, etc. 

The Punch and Judy shows, concert- 
gardens, etc., in the Champs Elysees were 
in full blast during the afternoon and 
evening, and at night all the theatres and 
opera-houses, to the number of eighteen, 
were crowded with visitors, whilst the 
usual scene of life and gayety was to be 
witnessed on the boulevards. 

AMERICANS EUROPEANIZED. 

"When I was home I was one of the 
pillars of the church, but here in Paris I 
can hardly be regarded as a brick," was 
the remark of an Amei-ican lady, when 
discussing the tendency to almost wholly 
disregard the Sabbath in France. " Yes," 
remarked another, "when I first came to 
Pai'is the playing of operatic airs on Sun- 
day shocked me, but now I find myself 
occasionally doing the same thing without 
a thought as to its impropriety." Ameri- 
cans residing in Paris any length of time 
soon get over their antipathy to the Sun- 
day operas, Sunday concerts, and Sunday 
amusements of all descriptions. All their 
staid notions disappear, and they learn to 
do as the Parisians do, and if a ftivorite 
opera is to be performed on Sunday even- 
ing they do not let that prevent their 
attendance. " When I first came to 
Paris I resolved I would not visit the 
Mabille Gardens, but when I found that 
so many nice people went there I thought 
I would like to go also," remarked another 
lady. "Well, I have been there also," 
was the reply, "and I did not see any- 
thing so very bad ; but perhaps it was not 
a good night." 

The last census of Paris gives a total of 
thirty thousand Americans permanently 
residing in Paris; of these nearly twenty 
thousand are from Louisiana, five thousand 
from Virginia, three thousand from other 
Southern States, and only two thousand 
from the North and West. The South- 
erners have located here during and since 
the war, and have made it their permanent 
home. There are, in addition to this, fully 
ten thousand Americans here temporarily, 
some of them for the purpose of educating 
their children, but most of them are 
tourists. With all this population, the 
great majority of whom are Protestants, 
there is a very light attendance, not ex- 



176 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



ceeding four or five hundred, at the 
Methodist and Episcopal churches, and 
most of these are tourists, who have not 
been here long enough to learn that 
church-going is not fosliionable in Paris. 
It is customary on vSunday morning to 
take a cup of coffee in bed, then a morn- 
ing nap until ten or eleven o'clock, get 
dressed for breakfast by twelve o'clock, 
and take a drive in the Champs Elysees 
or to the Bois de Boulogne in the after- 
noon. It is a tempting habit, and very 
few fail ultimately to fall into it. The 
American Protestant churches here ai"e 
mainly supported by the tourists, Avho 
give liberally. The English government 
supports its churches by contributions 
equal to all the amount received from 
worshipers, but has given notice that 
after the expiration of two years all aid 
will be withdrawn from them. 

BOARDING-SCHOOL FRENCH. 

Mark Twain, in his " Innocents Abroad," 
makes many apt hits on the experience of 
visitors to France who have previously 
become proficient in what is known as 
" boarding-school French." He says, in 
his quaint way, that the Frenchman is 
great on pronunciation, but a very bad 
speller. The American is very apt to 
pronounce a word as it is spelled, and if 
he does so he might as well talk Greek to 
a Frenchman and expect to be understood. 
The slightest deviation from the proper 
pronunciation renders your words unin- 
telligible, and hence the novice gives up 
in despair of success, and finally writes 
the word he is trying to pronounce, and 
submits it for inspection. We vainly en- 
deavored to tell a coachee the other day 
to drive to Rue Vantemill, pronouncing it 
as it is spelt, and every other way that 
we conceived it possible to torture the 
word into articulate sound, but all to no 
eflFect. He shook his head and shrugged 
his shoulders, and gave other indications 
that he did not know of any such thor- 
oughfare. In despair we drew out a card 
and wrote upon it ''Vantemill," when his 
eyes glistened and a broad grin suffused 
his countenance as he exclaimed, with a 
sharp, quick pronunciation, "Oi«", oui, 
Voiit-e-meeV^ »So also "R^ith Rue Scribe; 
we pronounced it every imaginable way, 
but it was not until in despair we acci- 
dentally hit upon Screhe, pronounced 
sharp from irritation, that we were un- 
derstandable. The word Jete must be 
pronounced /e.?< to be undei'stood, and any 
deviation from the French pronunciation 
of the commonest word is totally non-un- 



derstandable. At dinner, surrounded by 
twenty xVmericans, mostly ladies, and all 
of them fortified with '• boarding-school 
French," their linguistic experience of 
the day is truly ludicrous. They expected 
to be able " to get along witli the lan- 
guage," but find that pronunciation is of 
much more importance than the spelling. 
Thus it is that those who learn to talk the 
language here before they learn to read 
or spell it make the most rapid progress, 
and ultimately master all its peculiarities 
of pronunciation. Among our guests is 
a young American girl of sixteen, who, 
with her mother, has spent five years in 
Europe, and speaks French, Italian, Span- 
ish, a id German fluently and correctly. 
She mastei-ed French in three months, 
having been placed at a boai"ding-school, 
with sixty scholars, not one of whom 
could speak a word of English. So also 
with German, Italian, and Spanish, she 
lived and associated with those who knew 
no other language. 

AMERICAN FOOD TROUBLES. 

Nearly all the American families resid- 
ing in Paris soon break away from the 
boarding-houses, hire a suite of furnished 
rooms, employ servants, and go regularly 
to housekeeping. They endure French 
cooking and French living until they can 
stand it no longer, and then start oti' " on 
their own hook." During the five weeks 
we have been at a French pension two 
families have already left and gone to 
housekeeping, and a third is now prepar- 
ing to follow their example. They are 
here for the education of their children, 
and, proposing to remain a couple of years, 
soon discovered that it would be impossi- 
ble to endure French living. Still, this 
house has the reputation of keeping the 
best table in Paris, but the manner of 
serving the dishes is so unreasonable that 
the enjoyment of the food is destroyed. 
Think of serving roast beef without po- 
tatoes or vegetables, and, when it is mas- 
ticated, having peas or beans, that would 
have been so delightful to eat with it, served 
separately. Then the desserts are alwaj's 
a melange of some kind, so mixed that it 
is impossible to tell what you are eating, 
and would puzzle an Andrews or Cole- 
man and Rogers to analyze them. A 
lady remarked at the table to-day that she 
ate everything mechanically, without a 
thought as to what it was, contenting her- 
self with the reflection that she would 
relish hoane food better when she got 
there. '' Well, mother," responded a 
sharp-witted daughter at her side, who 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



177 



nad probably been reading Mark Twain, 
" you can't expect to enjoy sweet potatoes 
and hot corn, with Michael Angelo and 
Worth the dressmaker, all at one time." 

Breakfast is served in the rooms to 
each boarder as soon as it is called for, 
consisting of coffee and bread and butter. 
At twelve o'clock a lunch is served, of 
three or four separate courses, generally 
fried eggs, then beefsteak, or veal-cutlet, 
and fruit, after all of which is disposed 
of, coffee is served. Dinner is ready at 
six o'clock, requiring an hour and a half 
to dispose of it, each article being served 
separately and the plates changed, the 
vegetables invariably following the meat, 
but never with it. The food is all good 
enough, and much more abundant than at 
the hotel iahle-cthnte, and would be very 
palatable if not served up in this nonsen- 
sical way. There is also an aljundance 
of wine at both lunch and dinner. " H'jw 
I long to get home to enjoy a good square 
meal !" is the constant exclamation of the 
American wanderer. We must not neg- 
lect to add that the parties who have gone 
to housekeeping since our sojourn here 
reported progress, and are delighted with 
their experience, viz. : muffins, waffles, 
or flannel-cakes for breakfast, with beef- 
steak and ham and eggs ; dinner at two 
o'clock, with roast chicken and boiled 
ham, potatoes, peas, and Baltimore pearl 
hominy, all spread out on the table at 
once, to the horror of the French cooks 
and servants ; supper at eight o'clock, 
with coffee, cold chicken, and hot rolls 
from the Boston Bakery, on Boulevard 
Malesherbes. They are seriously con- 
templating buck-wheat-cakes and pump- 
kin-pie. The only boarding-house in 
Paris which serves meals in American 
style is Madame Dejon's, No. 29 Rue 
Caumartin, but her table has become so 
popular that more than a hundred Ameri- 
cans from the Grand and other hotels in 
the vicinity dine there daily. They have 
literally turned this once quiet boarding- 
house into a refectory, much to the dis- 
comfort of the home-guests. We should 
not wonder if some of these American 
ladies who have just started housekeep- 
ing on a small scale should ultimately 
develop into American boarding-house- 
keepers, and revolutionize the mode of 
eating in all these establishments. To an 
American it seems contrary to reason 
and common sense to be eating peas or 
beans as a separate dish, and meats with- 
out vegetables. Their guests are all 
Americans or English, and the sooner the 
revolution is commenced the better. 
12 



FRENCH SUICIDES. 

Another of those eminently French 
suicides took place in Paris on Saturday 
night, which for a few moments occa- 
sioned some excitement, but with the re- 
moval of the body the matter was thought 
no more of than if a candle had been 
snuffed out. A young man named Jules 
Iluttin, a non-commissioned officer of the 
Ninth Chasseurs, committed suicide at 
Hill's Ptestaurant, on the Boulevard des 
Capucines. lie had come to the city 
with a woman of loose character, and 
had for some days been living a rollicking- 
life. On the evening of his death he 
came to the restaurant with his compan- 
ion, and called for a luxurious supper, 
with the most costly wines, and they ate, 
drank, and were merry for about two 
hours, when he quietly stepped out on 
the veranda overlooking the boulevard, 
and blew his brains out with a pistol. 
He is said to have been a young man of 
excellent family and good education, but, 
having spent all his money, and having 
come to the city without leave of absence, 
he killed himself rather than face the 
disgrace of returning to his corps. On 
the same evening a young woman at 
Versailles committed suicide by jumping 
from the balcony on the fifth story of 
the house in which she lived ; and of the 
seven bodies exposed at La Moi-gue this 
morning, five of them were supposed to 
have committed suicide. 

MENDING THEIR MANNERS. 

The large number of American ladies 
in Paris is having the effect of checking 
the offensive manners of young French- 
men to unprotected ladies on the streets. 
A year ago a lady of youth and personal 
attractions was sure to be accosted if she 
attempted to go out alone, and persist- 
ently followed by these young street- 
loungers. Two or three of them have, 
in the mean time, been punished for their 
offensive conduct to American ladies, 
which has had the effect of very gener- 
ally remedying the evil complained of. 
On the boulevards, and in the neighbor- 
hood of all the large hotels, American 
ladies move about shopping or promenad- 
ing, singly or in couples, with perfect 
immunity, and ai"e as respectfully treated 
as if on Baltimore Street or Broadway. 
We record this gratifying improvement 
with pleasure, and in behalf of the ladies 
return thanks to those who have taught 
them better manners. The police are 
also very watchful, and are doing their 



178 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



best to render the streets of Paris as safe 
to the unprotected lady as those of any 
other city. The young French ladies, 
who never venture on the streets without 
a gentleman friend or a duenna, are as- 
tonished at the bravery of American 
ladies in venturing abroad alone, and 
persist that it would not be safe for young 
French ladies to follow their example. 
If their fathers and brothers would knock 
a few of these scamps down, it would 
soon give them immunity also. But the 
fact that respectable ladies do not venture 
on the streets leads to the inference that 
those who do are not respectable, and 
they are regarded as such. A French- 
man, however, can tell an American 
lady at a glance, and, knowing that she 
refuses +o pay any attention to French 
customs, gives her a wide berth. 

Paris, September 19, 1873. 

THE FINANCIAL PANIC. 

If there had been an earthquake on 
Rue Scribe and the Boulevard des Ital- 
iens, it could not have created more con- 
sternation among the Americans who 
usually congregate in that neighborhood, 
than was visible on Friday morning when 
the bulletin-board of the American Regis- 
ter announced the failure and suspension 
of Jay Cooke & Co., and Clarke & Co., 
of Philadelphia. There was a general 
rush to the banking-houses of those who 
held letters of credit from these firms, 
and groups and knots of excited men and 
women were assembled in every direction. 
Those who held letters from the old Pea- 
body house of Morgan & Co., or Brown 
Brothers, or McKim & Co., were congrat- 
ulating themselves on their good judg- 
ment, and the unfortunates were foraging 
around to find friends who could loan 
them sufficient money to take them home. 
The Philadelphians especially are the 
greatest sufierers, most of whom seem to 
have done business with the house of 
Jay Cooke & Co. The banks all refused 
to pay any more money out on the letters 
of credit of either of these houses, though 
Messrs. Monroe & Co. offered to cash the 
drafts of all responsible parties. A sim- 
ilar course was pursued by other leading 
bankers; but there are still many here 
who will find it difficult to raise funds. 
Fortunately for the sufferers, most of their 
letters of credit were very nearly " played 
out," they being just closing up their 
European trip and preparing to start for 
home. 

The failure has not, however, had the 
effect of injuring the credit of American 



tourists, which stands very high in Paris. 
The bankers are cashing their drafts on 
our principal cities with reckless liberal- 
ity. We were present at Monroe's when 
a gentleman stepped in and introduced 
himself, stating that he desired a draft 
on America for two hundred pounds dis- 
counted. The answer was, " Certainly," 
without requiring him to produce any 
other proof than his own word that he 
was tlie party he represented himself to 
be. He drew up the draft, and in a few 
minutes departed with the money. So 
also with shop-keepers, tradesmen, and 
even dressmakers. On hearing of the 
trouble that some of their customers were 
in with regard to their letters of credit, 
they have very generally proffered the 
acceptance of drafts for the amount of 
their bills. 

NO " rings" in PARIS. 

The city of Paris has a costly muni- 
cipal government, which hesitates at no 
expense to make the city beautiful, clean, 
and healthy, but it has no "rings" to 
manipulate the public funds. It has 
something to show for every outlay, and 
the people have the satisfaction of know- 
ing that every dollar levied on them is 
economically spent. There is something 
tangible to show for it, as is the case with 
a giraffe just purchased for five thousand 
francs, to replace the one eaten up by the 
Commune. Public functionaries in Paris 
never grow rich off their small salaries, 
and, as they are poorly paid, there is no 
scramble for their places. Twelve hun- 
dred francs (about two hundred and 
twenty dollars) is almost the highest 
salary paid to any municipal officer, and 
there is such a system of checks and bal- 
ances that fraud or unfair dealing is 
wholly impossible. A police-officer re- 
ceives from twelve hundred to fifteen 
hundred francs per annum, or from 
two hundred to three hundred dollars. 
The highest salary under the govern- 
ment is to the head of the Police De- 
partment, which is twelve thousand 
francs, or about two thousand four hun- 
dred dollars. This is the most important 
office under the city government. There 
are twenty-two mayors, one for each 
arrondissement or ward of the city, whose 
principal functions relate to births, mar- 
riages, and deaths, and one Prefect of the 
Seine, whose functions correspond very 
much with those of our own mayors, he 
having authority over all parts of the city. 
In connection with the Mont de Piete, oi 
city pawnbroker establishment, there are 



m 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



179 



three hundred officers, whose combined 
salaries amount to live hundred and one 
thousand two hundred francs, being an 
average of about three hundred and thir- 
ty-three dollars each. Some receive more 
than this amount, and some less. The 
yearly average of money that passes 
through the hands of these throe hundred 
officers is nearly eight million dollars : so 
that it will be seen the positions they 
hold are equal in responsibility to any 
under our city government. 

THE MONT DE PliT^. 

This is one of the most important and 
extensive establishments connected with 
the city government of Paris. It is a 
municipal pawnbroker establishment for 
the relief and protection of the poor, and, 
indeed, of all classes who may by either 
poverty or misfortune be compelled to 
borrow money on their personal effects. 
That the extent of this establishment may 
be understood, it is only necessary to state 
that it has two principal offices in oppo- 
site sections of the city, twenty auxiliary 
offices in different wards or arrondisse- 
ments, and has three hundred officers con- 
nected with it. The average number of 
articles pledged daily is three thousand, 
but no pledges are received from any one 
unless they are known to be householders, 
or produce a passport or papers en regie, 
showing who they are, and that the prop- 
erty they offer is their own. The privi- 
lege of loaning money on deposits is 
enjoyed exclusively by this establishment: 
hence thieves have but little opportunity 
of disposing of their plunder. Out of 
two millions of articles pledged per annum, 
the average number delivered to the police 
on suspicion of theft is three hundred and 
ninety-one, representing loans to the 
amount of eight thousand nine hundred 
francs. Thus this establishment, instead 
of encouraging theft, leads to detection, 
punishment, and the restoration of stolen 
goods. 

The Mont de Piete is under the author- 
ity of the Minister of the Interior and 
the Prefect of the Seine, and is managed 
by a Director, appointed by the former. 
It has a Council or Board of Managers, 
consisting of three members of the City 
Council, three citizens of Paris, and three 
members of the Council of Public Assist- 
ance. The number of officers employed 
in its management is over three hundred, 
and they are kept busy for twelve or four- 
teen hours per day. Everything that is 
brought to be pledged is carefully ap- 
praised, and the amount loaned is four- 



fifths of the value of gold and silver arti- 
cles, and two-thirds of the value of other 
effects, provided no loan at the two cen 
tral offices exceeds ten thousand francs, 
and at the branch establishments five 
hundred francs. From this it will be 
seen it is not used entirely by the ex- 
tremely poor, but all classes at times 
avail themselves of its advantages to en- 
able them to ride over temporary diffi- 
culties. 

The establishment is conducted with 
money borrowed on its own credit, and it 
requires a capital of about thirty million 
francs, for the use of which it pays about 
four per cent. The interest to the public 
upon pledges used to be twelve per cent., 
but it is now reduced to nine percent., or 
one-half per cent, for fifteen days, being 
the shortest term for which it can be lent. 
After the lapse of the first month, the 
interest must be paid entire, even if the 
loan last but a few days. The pledges 
of the previous day are brought every 
morning to the central establishments or 
the two storehouses, and it would be diffi- , 
cult to find in the whole of Paris a scene^ 
of more stirring business activity. The 
system with which the whole business is 
managed is wonderful, there being one 
department where borrowers are enabled 
to refund by installments the sums ad- 
vanced : even one franc is received. 

Whilst the work of redeeming pledges 
is constantly in progress in one part of 
the establishment, another is crowded 
with men, women, and children with 
bundles to offer for small advances, which 
continues from nine o'clock in the morn- 
ing until four o'clock in the afternoon. 
In another section an auction is daily 
held for the sale of forfeited pledges, 
which have not been redeemed within the 
time specified. After a year, or rather 
fourteen months, the effect-s, if the dupli- 
cate be not renewed by paying the inter- 
est due upon it, are thus sold, and the 
auction-room is a scene for a painter. 
Here all the old-clothes establishments in 
the city are represented, and at times the 
bidding is very lively, nothing being sold 
and no bids received for a less sum than 
the amount advanced. 

ETIQUETTE OF THE STREETS. 

American ladies visiting Paris are apt 
to be much annoyed until they learn the 
etiquette of the streets. In the first place, 
a respectable young lady in Paris seldom 
appears on the streets in anything but a 
plain black dress, unless when with a 
male escort or a duenna. If in a white 



ISO 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



or light dress her character is liable to be 
mistaken, especially if she should be young 
and interesting. If she is without escort 
she must, to maintain her character, push 
sti'aight forward, without looking to the 
right or to the left. If she should stop to 
take a look at the fine displays in the 
store-windows, for which Paris is so 
famous, she must not be surprised if some 
of the young men who lounge around the 
cafes walk up to her, nudge her elbow, 
and enter into conversation. It is the 
practice of the demi-monde to thus stop 
when a gentleman is approaching whose 
attention they desire to attract, and the 
masculines of loose morals choose to re- 
gard any one who may stop to look at the 
gorgeous array of diamonds in a window 
as having invited their attention. 

So also in riding. A lady seated alone 
in a carriage, either on the street or in 
the Bois de Boulogne, is regarded as re- 
serving the seat beside her for any chance 
gentleman whom she may attract. Thus 
ladies who have no male companion either 
take their servant with them when they 
ride, or borrow a neighbors child, if 
they have none of their own. To ride 
alone would be to invite insult or oifen- 
sive attention. 

The same is the rule in London, and 
almost throughout Europe. Females of 
the most respectable classes seldom Avalk 
the streets. In London you seldom see 
what we would call at home a well- 
dressed lady walking in the streets. 
Those Avho seem, and undoulitedly are, 
reputable are arrayed in plain suits of 
black, evidently intending and desiring 
to shun rather than court observation. 
A finely-dressed female on the streets of 
London is regarded as a woman of loose 
character if she have no escort with her, 
and even then she must carry a very 
demure face, and her escort must not put 
on any foppish airs if he does not desire 
to compromise the character of his com- 
panion. But a black dress and a fast 
walk, as if in a great hurry, will insure for 
a lady alone in the street entire freedom 
from improper attentions or insult. 

LOVE OF FLOWERS. 

The Frenchwoman must have her 
daily supply of flowers, even if she is 
compelled to stint her table to obtain 
them. When she purchases the substan- 
tials for her breakfast she is sure to take 
home with her a bouqnet of flowers. One 
will scarcely pass a window in an inhab- 
ited house where, from the basement to 
the pens ei-ected upon the roofs, six and 



seven stories from the ground, there is not 
a display of flower-pots. Having during 
a former visit to Paris secured quarters 
high up in the Louvre, we could look 
doAvn upon the upper stories of the neigh- 
boring houses, in each room of which 
there appeared to be a separate family. 
The men seemed mostly to be tailors, 
and at daybreak in the morning would 
be plying their needles whilst the women 
were preparing for breakfast and arrang- 
ing their bouquets for the table. The 
cultivation of flowers in all the palace- 
gai-dens and squares, and even by the 
street-sides in the Champs Elysees, is 
carried to perfection. The Luxembourg 
Garden presents the finest display of 
flowers cultivated in the open air we have 
ever seen, and it is thronged every even- 
ing with admiring visitors. So also at 
the Jardin des Plantes. The latter will 
always be found crowded with visitors, 
the flowers attracting more attention than 
the great exhibition of the cattle of the 
field, the birds of the air, the beasts of 
the jungle, and the fish of the sea, here 
collected and open free to the inspection 
of the 2Jublic. 

CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES. 

The houses on the boulevards, and in 
all the new portions of Paris, are re- 
quired to bo five stories high, and of uni- 
form appearance. They are in their 
interior arrangements diS'erent from the 
houses of almost any other city, being 
constructed with the special view of ac- 
commodating a great number of families. 
On the fourth and fifth stories there is an 
iron balcony extending across the front, 
and, if the house is on the corner of a 
street, around the entire building. This 
balcony is used for communicating with 
the different rooms, by which the sjiace 
for passage-way inside is saved. We 
were in one of these houses to-day, to 
visit a very respectable family occupying 
the fifth story, wdiich is considered one of 
the best, as the tenants have the use of 
the roof. It was a corner-house, with 
stores underneath, the upper floors being 
occupied by not less than six families. 
A porteress has charge of the door, and 
one winding stairway, which is neatly 
carpeted and as clean as that of most 
private houses, is used in common by all 
the tenants. We were assured that there 
was little or no intercourse between the 
tenants, and that there were several 
families in the house our friends had 
never seen, and did not even know their 
names. 



^R| 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



181 



PARIS ITEMS. 

The nurse-girls of Paris who are to be 
seen in Palats Royal and in the garden 
of the Tuileries of an afternoon, keep the 
little boys and girls in their charge out 
of mischief by having red or blue rib- 
bons tied around their waists, holding the 
end in their hands. They are never 
allowed t> go farther in advance of their 
nurse than the limit of the ribbon, which 
is about four feet long. They do not 
appear at all restive under the constraint, 
and have evidently been raised under lead- 
ing-strings. The nurse-girls in " Frank- 
lin Square" would have a merry time of 
it if they were to attempt to constrain 
Young America in this wa}'. 

" ALL ROADS LEAD TO PARIS." 

" All roads lead to Paris," from all 
parts of the Continent. The tourist, when 
traveling in Italy, Switzerland, or Ger- 
many, can turn westward from any point, 
and in ten to fifteen hours find himself in 
the gay and brilliant thoroughfares of 
Paris. It is easy to get to Paris, but very 
hard to get away again, as most of the 
Americans now congi*egating here find, 
especially if there are ladies among them. 
There is no place for the lady tourist like 
Paris, its attractions being so novel and 
varied, and its stores so brilliant and ex- 
tensive in their display of all manner of 
fabrics. There are delightful excursions 
to be made in every direction, palaces to 
visit, drives in the city and out of the 
city, its daylight scenes and its gas-light 
displays. All that is gay, attractive, and 
beautiful in the other great cities of the 
Continent are here concentrated in one, 
affording never-failing scenes of interest 
to the stranger. There are no people in 
the Avorld so proud of their city as the 
Parisians, and the marching of a German 
army through its broad avenues must 
have been a terrible infliction upon their 
national pride. They are not only proud 
of the appearance of the city, but the true 
Parisian really seems anxious to main- 
tain its general character for fair dealing 
with strangers in contradistinction to the 
rapacity and knavery displayed in so 
many other cities. 

SHOP-KEEPERS OF PARIS. 

The shop-keepers of Paris have the art 
of making the most of their wares, and 
spare no labor to give to their windows 
and show-cases a new and attractive ap- 
pearance every morning. This is not 
only the case with the most brilliant and 



costly goods, but even with those of tri- 
fling value. If the stranger expects on 
the morrow to recognize a store by any- 
thing he may have seen in the window 
to-day, he will be greatly mistaken. Even 
the arrangement of the goods will be 
found to be difi"erent, an effort being 
made to render them more attractive than 
on yesterday. They also add to the bril- 
liancy of their establishments by the ex- 
tensive use of mirroi'S inserted in the sides 
of their windows, Avhich multiply and 
magnify the stock and make a small 
store appear large and commodious. 
There is scarcely a show-window in 
Paris that is not provided with side- 
glasses, so placed as to give the appear- 
ance of double the width w^hich they 
really have. At night they have outside 
their windows a number of very brilliant 
reflectors, casting a glare of light upon 
the tastefully-arranged articles. This is 
especially the case in the colonnades of 
Palais Royal, a favorite resort for stran- 
gers in Paris. 

With the exception of the few large 
stores, such as Au Bon Marche, the Lou- 
vre, the La Paix, and Petit St. Thomas, 
which sell everything, the stores of Paris 
consist mostly of establishments for the 
sale of special articles. There are lace 
stores, silk stores, cloth stores, mourning 
goods, and even doll-baby stores, where 
nothing else can be had. Of general 
retail dry-goods stores, such as are so 
abundant with us, there are very few. 
They make a specialty of some given 
article, and it is useless to look elsewhere 
for them. In the large establishments 
there is a fixed price marked on all arti- 
cles, from which they will in no case 
deviate. An American who goes into a 
store where the prices are not fixed, must 
expect to pay one-third more than the 
regular prices, as there are few who will 
not take some unfair advantage of the 
stranger. 

The dressmakers, who persist in fur- 
nishing the material for their dresses, 
charge heavy prices, very nearly as much 
as a dress would cost at home. An 
American lady told me yesterday that 
slie had just paid fifteen hundred francs, 
or three hundred dollars in gold, for a 
silk dress. She was of opinion that Miss 
Sallie Johnson would have turned out as 
fine a dress for less money. Silks and 
velvets are sold at the stores for about 
two-thirds of the price demanded for them 
at home, whilst it is contended that the 
quality obtainable here is superior to that 
which is exported. 



182 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



FRUITS OF FRANCE. 

The people of France appear to care very 
little for any fruit except grapes, whicn 
are for sale on the streets in great quan- 
tities at a half-franc, or ten cents, per 
pound. Peaches are not raised to any 
considerable extent, and are sold at three 
to five cents each. Good pears cannot be 
had for less than four or five for a franc. 
They are very fine in appearance, but do 
not have the rich flavor that our fruit 
has, and seem to be bought nearly alto- 
gether by strangers, the Parisians evi- 
dently caring but little for them. Canta- 
loupes are very large, and have all the 
aroma of our melon, but yet are very 
insipid to the taste. They are eaten here 
vrith sugar ; but very few are brought to 
market. 

The only vegetables which the Parisian 
seems to care about are cabbage, potatoes, 
beans, peas, cauliflower, and lettuce: at 
least no other kind is ever seen at the 
hotels or cafes, and ver}^ little of these. 
Cabbage is served with fresh meat, and 
lettuce with chicken, the latter being 
scalded or soaked in oil. When peas or 
beans are served at the table-cVhote you 
are expected to eat them by themselves. 
Potatoes are only served with fish. AVhen 
called for at a restaurant, potatoes are 
served to you fried, but they have evi- 
dently been previously boiled, mashed, 
and then baked, and thus puS'ed up after 
the manner of a doughnut. They look 
like sliced potatoes, but they have gone 
through some mysterious process Avhich 
renders them no longer potatoes. 

THE MADELEINE. 

We paid a visit on Sunday morning 
to the Madeleine, the most chaste and 
magnificent of all the modern churches 
of Europe. The fury of the Commune 
was spent upon its outer walls and fluted 
columns and shrubbery, but they did not 
succeed in making their way to the inte- 
rior, which presents the same solemn and 
grand aspect that it did twelve years ago, 
with its white marble altars and central 
group of statuary representing the Mag- 
dalen borne to heaven on the wings of 
angels. A large congregation was assem- 
bled at the time of our visit, and the 
regular Sunday morning services in pro- 
gress. Of the thirty-two massive columns 
that surround the structure there are but 
few that do not bear bullet-marks, whilst 
the walls and many of the statues of 
saints in the thirty-two niches in the 
walls were also considerably damaged, 



but have since been repaired. They 
appear at some places to have discharged 
whole volleys of musketry at the solid 
stone walls, which left their mark but did 
but little damage. The statues of St. 
Anne, St. Theresa, St. Agnes, and St. 
Elizabeth were considerably damaged, 
that of St. Theresa having had a large 
bullet-hole directly over the left breast. 
The work of renovating and removing all 
evidences of the popular insanity has, 
however, now been completed. 

PARISIAN DRESSMAKERS AND TAILORS. 

The fashionable dressmakers of Paris, 
like our best tailors, will not make 
dresses unless they furnish the goods 
themselves. They keep on hand large 
stocks of silks, satins, and velvets, and 
tell their customers at what price they 
will furnish adress from the piece selected, 
with trimmings and all complete. They 
are most particular with regard to fitting 
their customers, requiring them to make 
three visits before delivering their work, — 
the first to be measured, the second to be 
fitted, and the third to try the dress on 
and have made any alterations that may 
be desired. The best tailors of Paris are 
equally careful with regard to gentlemen's 
clothing; their customers must be meas- 
ured, afterwards fitted, and then they 
must see the coat and vest on before they 
are willing to deliver them. This is 
perhaps the reason why Paris tailors have 
such a high reputation the world over for 
making well-fitting suits. 

HOW IS IT? 

The estimation in which America and 
Americans are now held by both French- 
men and Englishmen is a matter of pride 
to all who have visited Europe this year. 
The number of Americans, and their 
lavish expenditure of money, together 
with the anomaly of a nation paying off 
its debt, perfectly beAvilder them. They 
are constantly asking for explanations, 
which can only be given at the ex]iense of 
their own national pride. We tell them we 
have no standing armies of a million of 
men to clothe, feed, and pay, while those 
who are under arms here would be, with 
us, producers; that we have no immense 
navy and no royalty to sustain at the 
expense of the people — no one to hold 
in subjection — and no palaces to construct 
and maintain. In reply to inquiries from 
Englishmen how it was possible for so 
many Americans to be traveling over 
Europe with their families, and making 
extensive purchases of rich and costly 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



185 



goods, the only answer that could be given 
was that when an American accumulates 
money he desires that himself and f\xmily 
shall enjoy it, whilst an Englishman 
hoards it up that he may vie with the 
aristocracy in having a country-house 
and a city-house, or marry some of his 
daughters to a banki-upt nobleman. They 
often admit that it is so, and take no 
offense at the only response that can 
truthfully be given to their inquiries. 

" AU BON MARCH^." 

We spent several hours to-day at Au 
Bon Marche, the greatest of the three 
large dry-goods establishments of Paris. 
A more stirring scene of business activity 
it would be impossible to find anywhere. 
At all times during the day the whole 
building is surrounded with carriages 
waiting for parties inside making pur- 
chases, and the interior is so thronged 
that it is at times difficult to move about. 
The number of cashiers and bookkeepers 
at their desks was thirty-three, and the 
clerks and salesmen, male and female, ex- 
ceed three hundred. The most active and 
probably the most important of these em- 
ployes we found to be a colored man, who 
speaks fluently French, Italian, German, 
and English. He is called hither and 
thither to sell to all nationalities, or to 
interpret for the other salesmen, who un- 
derstand no language but French. In 
this establishment there are departments 
for everything that can be called for, from 
the richest and rarest to the most ordinary 
goods. The price is marked upon every 
article, and no amount of purchase can 
induce the striking off of a franc from 
the bill. The depiirtment for coarse 
goods was equally thronged by the poorer 
classes with those for finer and more 
costly goods. There was a large repre- 
sentation of American ladies, but very 
few English. There is a refreshment 
saloon for lady customers, where wine 
and cake and ice-water are spread for 
them, and retiring-rooms fitted up in most 
magnificent style. At one end of the 
building, on the third floor, is the dress- 
making establishment, where about two 
hundred ladies are employed in cutting, 
fitting, and making dresses to order, 
whilst thousands of ready-made dresses 
of every material are ready for sale, even 
those made of the richest velvets, satins, 
and silks. The throng of purchasers 
passing in and out was very large, whilst 
the cashiers were kept busy in settling 
accounts. The stables of this establish- 
ment have over forty horses, and twenty 



elegant carriages for the delivery of 
goods, which can be seen flying through 
the city at all hours during the day. 

Some idea of the purchases made by 
Americans may be judged from the fact 
that Madame Francois, one of the princi- 
pal dressmakers, stated to-day that she 
had just completed twenty-seven silk 
dresses for one lady from Chicago, "the 
city," she added, " that was burnt up." 
An American gentleman at Drexel's 
banking establishment this morning re- 
marked that his wife had just called upon 
him for twenty thousand francs to pay for 
the purchases she had made yesterday ! 

SCARCITY OF WATER. 

"You must not drink water," is the 
constant cry of the hotel-keepers in Paris, 
and the addition of ice to it, we are as- 
sured, makes it rank poison. It is pretty 
much the same all over the Continent, 
water being regarded as of no nxmnerof 
importance except for fountains, cascades, 
and to drive water-wheels. If at dinner 
you tell the waiter that you do not wish 
any wine, he looks at you aghast, and i:e- 
peats the question two or three times to 
be sure that he has properly understood 
you. He reports the fact to the head- 
waiter, and he, confident that the stupid 
fellow has misunderstood, comes himself 
to inquire, " What kind of wine will mon- 
sieur have ?" 

Then the wine furnished at the hotels 
is so horrible in quality that it is not fit 
to be drunk. They evidently export all 
their best wines, and keep the common 
kinds for home consumption. The prices 
are also exorbitant, and it is evidently 
the large profit that the hotel-keeper 
makes which occasions so much anxiety 
that all his guests shall have large wine- 
bills, and that all shall dine at table- 
cVhute, where it would be rank heresy for 
any one to fail to call for wine. When 
water is called for it is brought so warm 
as not to be drinkable, and it requires a 
half-hour's notice to obtain a few small 
lumps of ice to cool it. In Italy and 
Switzerland we made a practice of carry- 
ing a cup in order to obtain a drink of 
cool fresh water occasional!}'' from the 
springs and fountains. If water is called 
for in a store or private house, they bring 
the sugar-dish with it, the idea being that 
water is unhealthy without being mixed 
with something else. 

HOT BREAD. 

The next most deleterious article to cold 
water, in the estimation of a Frenchman, 



184 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



is bread that is eaten befoi-e it is twelve 
hours out of the oven. It is then nearly 
all crust, and requires the best of masti- 
cators to chew it. Most elderly French 
men and women have their teeth worn 
down to stumps, probably from long ser- 
vice on the very hard bread universally 
eaten by rich and poor. Those who ex- 
pect to find superior cakes in the confec- 
tionery stores will be greatly mistaken, 
as they all seem to be made out of greasy 
pie-crust. Nothing can be more beautiful 
than the display of cakes and condiments 
in the stores, but to an American fond of 
home-made cakes they are both unpala- 
table and unwholesome. If an ice-cream 
is called for they serve with it a tasteless 
kind of wafer-cake so thin as to be curled 
up in little rolls, and so brittle that it 
will break to pieces with the slightest 
pressure. This is the only cake that can 
be had in the ice-cream saloons. The 
cost of a small wineglass of ice-cream is 
twenty cents, and it is much inferior in 
quality to our American cream. Ice- 
water is served with it, the ice being 
frozen in a decanter by chemical process. 
This may possibly be costly, and adds to 
the price of the cream. 

" GET OUT OF THE WAY." 

The people of Paris have been educated 
to keep out of the way of all carriages 
and vehicles passing on the streets. In 
the narrower streets most of the pedes- 
trians walk along the carriage-way, the 
pavements being too narrow to accommo- 
date more than half of them. The streets 
are paved with asphaltum, and the car- 
riages move along almost noiselessly, with 
great rapidity, and the gait of the horses 
is never checked for any one, even if the 
throng on the street should be women and 
children. The drivers will halloo, but 
never check their speed, and you must 
run or jump to save yourself from being 
run over. Reckless driving is the rule 
here, and, in fact, all over the Continent. 

PARISIAN STREET-CRIES. 

The street-cries of Paris commence at 
daybreak in the morning, and continue 
pretty steadily throughout the day. Hun- 
dreds of women and girls with hand-carts 
are always passing thi'ough the streets, 
selling vegetables, fruits, and flowers, and 
crying their wares. There is an abun- 
dance of fruit and meat shops, and the re- 
tail vending of such articles seems to be 
all done in this way. The family sup- 
plies, including charcoal to cook with, are 
pui-chased at the curb-stone, and during 



the summer season breakfast is about the 
only meal eaten at home by those who 
are able to get out of doors. The caf§8 
are numerous in all parts of the city, 
where a substantial dinner can be obtained 
for from one franc to five or ten, accord- 
ing to the taste and purse of the customer. 
Everything e.atable is much cheaper here 
than in London, and is better cooked and 
better served. 

PARISIAN LOCAL ITEMS. 

The Garden of the Luxembourg Palace 
is a regular baby-show every afternoon 
and evening. We do not think it would 
be an exaggeration to assert that several 
thousand children, from six months to 
four years of age, can be seen here every 
afternoon with their nurses. ,^- 

The glove-makers have at last exter- 
minated all the rats in the sewers, which 
were formerly so numerous as to be be- 
yond computation. The manufacture of 
ladies' kid gloves from the skins of these 
animals made the demand so great that 
but few are now to be found anywhere in 
the city. 

Carriage-driving, like everything else, is 
systematized in Paris. The driver is com-, 
pel led by law to hand you a printed card 
with the list of charges. For four per- 
sons the charge is two and a half francs 
per hour, or about fifty cents. Four hours' 
drive to-day, visiting points of interest, 
cost ten francs. What would our Balti- 
more hackmen think of that? 

There are no street-railways in Paris, 
and they are hardly needed. The smooth 
asphaltum pavements that are being laid 
everywhere enable the broad-wheeled om- 
nibuses, with about forty passengers, in- 
side and outside, drawn by two horses, 
to move along as easy as railroad cars. 
There is one line of omnibuses, resem- 
bling our city cars, that seat forty-six 
persons each, inside and on top. Three 
horses draw them with great rapidity, and 
they seem always to be full. 






CITY OF MARSEILLES. 

Marseilles, July 7, 1873. 
It is not a very easy matter to get away 
from Paris, especially if there are ladies 
in your party. This is generally the case 
with all who stop in Paris on the way to 
Italy, whilst a great many find the attrac- 
tions so great that they prefer spending 
all their time there rather than ramble 
over the Continent. However, we broke 
away on the morning of the 6th, and, 



AMERICAN- SPECTACLES. 



185 



after eighteen hours' ride, reached Mar- 
seilles on Sunday morning at six o'clock. 

PARIS TO MARSEILLES. 

The route through the southern portion 
of France has many attractions, passing 
as we did numerous large cities, including 
Lyons and Dijon, and the famous region 
where the grapes employed in making 
Burgundy wine are grown. Notwith- 
standing the ravages of recent war, and 
the destruction of numerous bridges, we 
found the country most bright and beau- 
tiful. Scarcely a foot of ground for the 
whole distance has not been cultivated to 
its fullest capacity. Fields of waving 
grain, meadows redolent with new-mown 
hay, and miles of vineyards, with the tall 
poplar, almost the only timber, except 
cherry- and pear-trees, interspersed with 
thriving towns and villages, made up the 
landscape presented from Paris to Mar- 
seilles, a distance of nearly six hundred 
miles. The people appeared gay and 
happ3', and it was difficult to conceive that 
this whole country had been recently 
overrun by a hostile army. What a 
happy thing would it have been had there 
been industry and energy sufficient in our 
Southern States to have so rapidly re- 
covered from the effects of the ravages of 
war ! No one could possibly suppose that 
the country through which we passed had 
been disturV)ed by foreign occupation, were 
it not for the numerous bridges now be- 
ing rapidly reconstructed. This destruc- 
tion of bridges in time of war is one of 
the follies of a past age : as armies now 
carry their bridges with them, their de- 
struction really causes little or no deten- 
tion. 

SUNDAY IN MARSEILLES. 

Sunday in Marseilles is the gayest and 
brightest day in the week, and there is 
no day upon which the stranger can see 
the people and the city to so much ad- 
vantage. It is a day upon which the 
whole population are out-of-doors, and 
intermixed with them are natives of many 
parts of the inhabited globe, dressed in 
their native costumes. Turks, Arabs, 
Algei'ines, Greeks, Italians, Egyptians, 
Spaniards, and on this occasion, we must 
add, a few plain Americans, were encoun- 
tered in the thronged streets and squares. 
It must be remembered that the popula- 
tion of Marseilles is equal to that of Bal- 
timore, over three hundred thousand, and 
that on Sunday no one stays at home 
that can possibly get out-of-doors. 

Marseilles is famous for its fine drives, 



extending through the southern section 
of the city and out to the banks of the 
Mediterranean. The principal avenue is 
about two hundred feet wide, with three 
rows of immense sycamore-trees on each 
side, forming a perfect arch and shade 
over the main drive. At the end of these 
drives, which are probably four miles in 
length, bounded on either side by elegant 
mansions, or, as they are here called, cha- 
teaux, is a magnificent public garden or 
park, with fountains, cascades, grottoes, 
and an extensive race-course. The whole 
park, embracing five or six hundred 
acres, bordering on the Mediterranean, is 
adorned with beds of flowers, arranged in 
the most artistic style of floriculture. Be- 
tween the walls of the garden and the 
Mediterranean there is a broad turnpike, 
along which bathing-houses are erected, 
where thousands of persons in bathing- 
dresses, male and female, enjoy them- 
selves in the ocean. Among the bathers 
here we noticed about one hundred Alger- 
ine boys, from twelve to sixteen years of 
age, in charge of Catholic priests, by 
whom they are being Christianized and 
educated. 

PUBLIC GARDENS OF MARSEILLES. 

The public gardens of Marseilles, at- 
tached to the Palace Beauchamp, situated 
in the heart of the city, are unsurpassed 
in beauty and cultivation by anything 
that beautiful Paris can boast of It 
would be impossible to attempt a descrip- 
tion of the mammoth fountain and cas- 
cades by which you approach the entrance 
to the gardens. The sculpture, statuary, 
and ornamentations of this fountain and 
cascades must have cost at least a million 
of dollars. The water first bursts out in 
an immense volume from a central arch 
at the base of a group of statuary about 
one hundred feet above the entrance to 
the garden, and falls down over seven 
beautifully arranged cascades, until it 
reaches a small circular lake in front of 
the entrance gate. The fountain itself is 
on the .summit of this rising grijund, and 
is located in the centre of a grand colon- 
nade, extending about one hundred feet 
on either side, with wings, which consist 
of two fine marble buildings in which are 
a museum of curiosities and a gallery of 
paintings. In the front basin of the 
fountain are four more than life-size bulls, 
as if struggling to escape from the water, 
which falls upon their backs, and pour- 
ing over on to a rocky bed in front of 
them. However, it is impossible to con- 
vey to the reader any adequate idea of 



186 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



the vastness of this work of art, further 
than to say that its front is not less than 
five hundred feet in length, and tiiat it 
presents a spectacle of grandeur exceeding 
anything we have ever beheld. The ascent 
for pedestrians is by circular Avalks on 
either side interspersed and bordered with 
beds of flowers ; and there are also two 
flights of circular stairs by which the 
level of the fall of water is approached, 
and the entrance to the museum and the 
upper garden reached. Placards every- 
where remind the people that this attract- 
ive place is their property, and they are 
all called upon to act as a police for the 
preservation of its beauty and adorn- 
ments. In the garden there are a num- 
ber of living animals, including two 
immense giraifes. 

SCENE ON THE STREETS. 

It Avill not do to say that Sunday is not 
observed in Marseilles, as all the churches 
were open, and a large majority of the 
stores closed. But in some sections of 
the city the stores were all open, and 
mechanics were at work at their trades, 
the same as on weekdays. In the old 
portions of the city, which resemble an 
Italian town, the houses being seven and 
eight stories high, and the streets only 
about twenty feet in width, there was 
more activity in business matters than on 
a weekday. The streets were literally 
jammed, so that it was almost impossible 
to get through them. Every house was 
a store of some kind, and all doing a 
thriving business. The cafes were open 
in all sections of the city, and their num- 
ber beyond computation. The brilliant 
display of these establishments, decorated 
as they are with flowers and plants, is 
scarcely surpassed by the most attractive 
of those in Paris. 

There are markets in Marseilles entirely 
for the sale of flowers, the love of which 
is proverl)ial throughout France. These 
were all in full blast on Sunday, and the 
young girls in attendance were kept busy 
in preparing bouquets for the crowds of 
customers. They stood in the centre of 
an elevated circular stand, around which 
were arranged flowers of all descriptions, 
and the rapidity with which they formed 
them into graceful bouquets was truly as- 
tonishing. 

At six o'clock on Sunday evening a 
grand concert is regularly given by the 
military bands of the regiments at the 
public square in the heart of the city. 
There could not have been an audience 
present of less than fifteen thousand men, 



women, and children. The majority of 
these were seated on chairs rented at a 
sou an hour to those who may desire 
them. The music we found to be truly 
grand, the two bands in attendance each 
comprising about forty performers. 

Among the shipping in the harbor with 
their flags displayed, we were gratified 
to observe two flying the " Stars and 
Stripes." 

The number of soldiers in the streets 
we found to be greater than at Paris, in- 
dicating that a very large military force is 
stationed here. They are mostly young 
men ranging from eighteen to twenty-two 
years, probably a portion of the recent 
conscription. 

Sunday is the only day upon which 
beggars are allowed to ply their vocation 
in Marseilles, and the number on the 
streets to-day was very large, particularly 
of children, including some Italian boys 
and girls, singing and dragging after 
them, as a means of exciting sympathy 
and extracting pennies, the younger mem- 
bers of their families. 

LAW AND ORDER. 

Marseilles boasts of the devotion of its 
people to law and order, and points to 
its escape from the ravages of the Cora 
mune, as an instance of the manner in 
which the people united for the protec- 
tion of their beautiful city. The Com- 
munists rallied strongly here, joined by 
the refuse of all nations, but were sup- 
pressed before they had time to do any 
damage. Every Frenchman conscien- 
tiously believes that the leaders of the 
Communists received from Prussia three 
millions of dollars to inaugurate the work 
of destruction, and that the motive was 
revenge for the sullen manner in which 
the Germans were received on entering 
Paris. 

In Paris, as well as throughout France, 
every palace and public building now has 
carved on its walls, "The property of the 
people," as well as those rallying-cries of 
the revolution of 1830, " Liberty, Equal- 
ity, and Fraternity." Here in Marseilles 
these inscriptions are regarded as mean- 
ing something, and were it not for the 
Napoleonic nightmare of military glory, 
which every Frenchman considers neces- 
sary to the existence of his nation, the 
people of Marseilles would make first- 
class republicans. 

SCENE AT THE BOURSE. 

The Chamber of Commerce or Bourse 
of Marseilles is a large and elegant 



i 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



187 



building, having been completed about 
ten years ago. It is built of sandstone, 
and is ornamented with bas-reliefs and 
statuary emblematic of commerce. The 
hall of the Bourse is very large, capable 
of holding three thousand persons, and 
has neither desks nor seats of any kind 
in it. The principal dealers have posi- 
tions at which they are always to be found 
during business hours, when to the un- 
initiated a scene of confusion ensues that 
is only approached by that of the Gold 
Room at New York. The hall we found 
crowded to its utmost capacity, so that it 
was difficult to pass through it, whilst a 
similar tlirong of excited people were on 
the outside, where what we would call 
the curb-stone brokers were assembled, 
filling the area between the hall and the 
railing on all sides. An estimate of five 
thousand persons inside and outside the 
hall, all talking at once, and some of 
them at the top of their voices, would not 
be an exaggeration of the scene presented 
at the Bourse. We are assured that such 
is but the ordinary scene during dull 
times, and that when the market is ex- 
cited it is almost impossible for a 
stranger to get near the building. 

THE PORT OF MARSEILLES. 

Marseilles was founded by the Greeks 
six hundred years before Christ, and was 
coHquered by Julius Ceesar in the year 
48 B.C. The positions occupied by the 
Temples of Diana, Apollo, and Neptune 
are pointed out, on which churches and 
cathedrals are now erected. It was here 
that, in 1792, the Marseillaise Hymn was 
written, which subsequently became the 
battle-hymn of the Republican armies. 

Since 1850 the harbor of Marseilles has 
been extended to four times its former 
size, notwithstanding which there is still 
a demand for increased accommodation. 
Since 1853 the Basin de la Jolliet has been 
added to the ancient port, and is now the 
«tarting-point of most of the Mediterra- 
nean steamers. Several other basins 
have since been added, and it is now pro- 
posed to add two new docks and an en- 
trance-harbor, which will render Mar- 
seilles one of the finest seaports in the 
world. Nearly twenty thousand vessels, 
of an aggregate burden of two million 
tons, enter and quit Marseilles an- 
nually. 

FRUITS OF FRANCE. 

There is very fine fruit in this section 
of France, but not in that abundance 
■which we find it at home. The quality 



of the fruit indicates that it can be exten 
sively grown, while the price asked for it 
plainly shows that it is only cultivated as 
a luxury. Peaches are to be had at the 
fruit-stores, large and luscious, at about 
five for a franc. Apricots are m uch larger 
than with us, and in much greater abun- 
dance and cheaper than the peaches, the 
former being fifteen sous and the latter 
two francs per pound. Greengages, green 
figs, and plums are large and luxurious, 
but still scarce and high. The only fruit 
that seems to be in abundance is cherries, 
and these are large and of fine flavor, both 
sweet and sour. As in Paris, all manner 
of vegetables and fruit are hawked about 
the streets by women and girls and sold 
at the curb-stone. Markets, as places in 
which the head of the family can pur- 
chase meat, vegetables, and fruits, are 
fast going into disuse in both England 
and Prance. The green-grocer alone at- 
tends the markets and Ijuys by the whole- 
sale, and those who huckster on the 
streets are his rivals in business. Thus 
it is that an Englishman or a Frenchman 
visiting Baltimore considers our market- 
houses so great a cviriosity. 

table-d'hote. 
There appears to be more demand for 
all manner of salads here than for fruits. 
At the table-d'hote everything i^ served 
up with some description of salad, satu- 
rated with oil, and it is really difficult to 
tell exactly what you are eating. You 
must have confidence to enjoy your din- 
ner, or shut your eyes and go it blind. 
The salads are of various kinds, some of 
them strongly resembling four-leaved 
clover, as insisted upon by one of the 
ladies of our party, — so we eat it for good 
luck. When we call for ice-water for 
dinner we are looked upon with astonish- 
ment, as wine is the only beverage which 
the Frenchman considers proper to imbibe 
whilst eating. A quart-bottle of claret 
stands by the side of each plate, which 
most of them manage to empty during 
the hour and a quarter it requii-es to dis- 
jjose of the numerous courses. If slow 
eating is conducive to health, Frenchmen 
ought to be very healthy. The manner 
of serving the dinner is said to be on gas- 
tronomic principles, the courses being so 
arranged as to be most conducive to diges- 
tion and to avoid astonishing the stomach 
by any violent changes in the matter to 
be deposited therein. We presume it is 
on the same principle as adopted by some 
of our scientific farmers in arranging the 
compost-heap. 



188 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



TRIP ON THE MEDITERRANEAN. 

We sail to-morrow morning in the 
steamer Roi Jerome for Naples, and an- 
ticipate a very pleasant trip. AVe stup 
six hours at Genoa, six hours at Leghorn, 
and a few hours at Civita Vecchia, on the 
route, which is ample time to look over 
these unimportant places. We will be 
due at Naples on Sunday, the 13th. 



ITALY. 

GENOA. 

Steamer Roi Jerome, 
Bay of Genoa, July 12. 

On the morning of the 10th of July 
■we embarked on board the steamer Roi 
Jerojne for Naples, anticipating a pleas- 
ant journey. We found the decks of the 
vessel wet and disagreeable, the cabin 
had a shocking odor, and we were almost 
tempted to return to the shore. A number 
of slouchy-looking Italian men and women 
were coming on board, and the second 
officer, whom we supposed at the time to be 
captain, received us as if we Avere in- 
truders upon his domain, disputed our 
right to the state-rooms which our tickets 
called for, and acted as if he was deter- 
mined to make us as uncomfortable as 
possible. We had paid our passage, about 
five hundred francs, for the trip, and were 
out in the stream, with our trunks in the 
hold, where this most disagreeable officer 
persisted in storing them. In a short 
time, however, the captain, Lotta, made 
his appearance, and proved to be the very 
reverse of his surly subordinate. The 
whole aspect of affairs was instantly 
changed, our baggage arranged and 
stowed to suit our convenience, and we 
had to deal with a polished Italian gentle- 
man, who seemed intent on securing the 
comfort of all on board. The rough pas- 
sengers were all sent forward, the cabin 
ventilated, and by the time we had cleared 
the harbor of Marseilles our anticipations 
of a pleasant journey were renewed. The 
table proved to be excellently supplied 
with provisions and fruit, and we caine 
to the conclusion, despite a little nausea 
which the short, quick Avaves of the 
Mediterranean imposed upon one of our 
party, that (wind and weather permit- 
ting) the trip would be a most gratifying 
one. 

THE MEDITERRANEAN. 

There is something peculiar about the 
motion of the waves of the Mediterranean. 



Before we had fully cleared the harbor 
of Marseilles several of the passengers 
were sick, and by the time we were 
five miles out, with the exception of our 
Neptune-proof party, but one of whom 
succumbed for a few moments, nearly all 
on board were affected. Still, the sea was 
as calm as the Chesapeake Bay, and the 
motion of the vessel so slight as to be 
scarcely perceptible to one who has had 
much sea-going experience. AVhen sea- 
sickness once commences, it is almost im- 
possible to shake it off, and we rather 
imagine that it is the rock-l)ound harbor 
of Marseilles and the eddy among its 
crags which cause a nausea on starting, 
for which the sea itself is not responsible. 
During our four days' trip along shore 
it has certainly behaved gently. The 
weather has been bright and beautiful, 
and we have not at all suffered from the 
heat. 

Passing down the Mediterranean, we 
kept very close to the Italian coast, af- 
fording a fine view. The appearance is 
that of barren mountains, with occa- 
sional towns and fishermen's huts at their 
base. The railroads pass along these 
shores, and have of course carried great 
changes south of it within a few years. 
Tlie three most interesting points on the 
Mediterranean, as connected with past 
history, are the Chateau d'lf, whei-e Mi- 
rabeau and the other state prisoners were 
confined, on a bai-ren rock near Mar- 
seilles ; the island of Elba, the prison 
of Napoleon ; and the island of Sainte- 
Marguerite, known in history in con- 
nection with the Man with the Iron 
Mask. 

THE CITY OF PALACES. 

At daylight on Thursday morning, 
after a run of twenty hours, we dropped 
anchor in the harbor of Genoa, in full 
view of that city of palaces, as well as 
one of the most prosperous commercial 
ports on the Italian coast of the Mediter- 
ranean. It has a population of nearly 
one hundred and fifty thousand, and is 
situated on the slopes of a mountain over 
five hundred feet high, from the top of 
which frown fortresses of considerable 
dimensions, mounting heavy guns, hav- 
ing a clear range of the whole bay. 
Looming up in the rear of the city are the 
Apennine Mountains, which during a 
portion of the year are covered with 
snow. The view of the city from the 
harbor, and the harbor itself, are very fine ; 
and, the captain having informed us that 
he would not sail until seven o'clock in 



« 



A ME R WAN SPE CTA CL ES. 



189 



the evening, we all made arrangements 
for spending the day on shore. 

To enter a strange city in this way is 
certainly to fall into the hands of the 
Philistines, and we had to run the gaunt- 
let in all shapes. We were plucked a 
little, but had the satisfaction of getting 
the worth of our money pretty generally. 
The railroad connecting;- Genoa with Mar- 
seilles, extending along the shores of the 
Mediterranean to Rome, Leghorn, and 
Naples, as well as connecting with Flor- 
ence and all the interior of Italy, has 
greatly improved Genoa during the past 
few years. In commerce the harbor pre- 
sented a thriving appearance, there being 
at least a dozen steamships loading or 
unloading, whilst a forest of masts of 
sailing-vessels loomed up in all directions. 
We took an omnibus upon landing, and 
coursed around the whole water-front of 
the city, which, like all Italian water- 
fronts, was crowded with carts, wagons, 
and donkeys. There being but four 
streets in Genoa on which wagons can 
be used, they are of course almost im- 
passable for pedestrians. We met with 
two or three of the old palaces, most of 
which have been put to the much better 
use of trade, but our ride proved a rough 
and by no means an attractive one. Re- 
turning, we stopped at the railroad depot, 
and, having obtained some fruit and re- 
freshments, engaged a cab to take iis 
around to view the most prominent scenes 
and sights in the city. We found the as- 
cents to the difierent levels to have been 
overcome with much skill, and whilst 
coursing through the beautiful streets we 
soon obtained an elevation from which 
we could look down upon the tall house- 
tops bordering the harbor. We found 
the interior of the city much more beau- 
tiful than we had anticipated, adorned 
with fountains, public squares, and monu- 
ments, and presenting the finest views 
imaginal)le in all directions. The palaces 
are certainly most magnificent structures, 
and, considering that they were erected in 
past ages, some of them are still in excel- 
lent condition, and still in the possession 
of the families whose ancestors con- 
structed them at a time when Genoa was 
a republic. Many are now used as ho- 
tels, others as cafes, and others as public 
buildings. Between these loftily-situated 
streets and piazzas a complete labyrinth 
of narrow streets and lanes, scarcely ten 
feet wide, occupied by seven- and eight- 
story houses, descends to the harbor. 

It was here that Columbus was born, 
and it was to the Genoese govei'nment 



that he first made application for aid to 
sail on his voyage of discovery. A mag- 
nificent monument to his memory, near 
the railroad depot, was erected in 18G2. 
It rests on a pedestal adorned with ships' 
prows. At the feet of the statue of Co- 
lumbus, which I'ests on an anchor, kneels 
a female figure representing America. 
The monument, which is entirely of 
white marble, is surrounded by allegor- 
ical figures, representing Religion, Geog- 
raphy, Force, and Wisdom. Between 
these are reliefs of scenes from the his- 
tory of Columbus, and the inscription of 
dedication. Opposite the monument is 
the Palace of Columbus, bearing the in- 
scription " Cristoforo Colombo, Genoaese, 
scopre I'America."' There is also another 
statue of Columbus on the main street of 
the harbor. 

The palaces of Genoa are certainly very 
grand structures. The entrances to the 
court-yards of some of them are fully 
forty feet high, and have over them the 
coat-of-arms of the families to which they 
belonged. The former opulence of the 
city is still evidenced by these numerous 
and magnificent emblems of the great- 
ness of a by-gone age. The streets are 
paved with slabs of marble, but many of 
them are so narrow, steep, and tortuous, 
as to be inaccessible to carriages. 

We of coui-se visited the cathedral 
and the churches, all of which are rich 
in decollations, statuary, and paintings. 
The Capuchin Church of L'Annunziuta, 
erected in 1487, with a most unsightly 
exterior, is the most sumptuous church 
in Genoa. The nave and aisles are sup- 
ported by twelve columns of white mar- 
ble, inlaid with red. The vault and dome 
are richly decorated with gilding, and 
frescoes by the old masters, representing 
scenes in Scripture history. The colors 
in these works of art are as bright as if 
just executed, and the paintings and 
decorations of the church are of the 
same rich description. 

THE PEOPLE OF GENOA. 

The people of Genoa are distinguished 
for their energy and industry, and our 
hasty drive through the city showed us 
as much activity as could be witnessed 
in the most stirring American city. The 
women are especially graceful and at- 
tractive in their appearance, dress, and 
carriage. The only head-covering worn 
by them is a white veil, which is very 
gracefully thrown over the head, and al- 
lowed to flow loosely over the shoulders, 



199 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



fastened at the crown of the head with a 
silver arrow. 

At the Exchange or Bourse of Genoa 
there was a denser throng of business 
men than could be seen in Baltimore, and 
all seemed to be intent on trade and 
money-making. The sailors of Genoa 
are said to be superior to any on the 
Mediterranean, and have long retained 
their supremacy in this respect. 



LEGHORN AND PISA. 

Steamer Roi Jerome, 
CiviTA Vecchia, Saturday, July 18. 

We closed our last letter in the Bay of 
Genoa, after having visited its old palaces 
and penetrated into the more modern and 
beautiful sections of that mountain-side 
city. At daybreak next morning we were 
at anchor in the harbor of Leghorn, the 
city from whence come the fine straw 
bonnets which the ladies of Christendom 
formerly delighted to wear. Most of the 
passage from Genoa was made while we 
were asleep, though we had a fine view 
of the harbor as we passsed out about 
dusk, and also of the gloomy, rock-bound 
island of Elba, the old prison-house of 
Napoleon, and of its neighbor, the island 
of Corsica, on which he was born, and 
also the island of Sardinia. 

THE CITY OF LEGHORN. 

On landing at Leghorn Ave first felt the 
July heat of an Italian sun. Being ac- 
companied on shore by Captain Lotta, we 
were relieved from the annoying process 
of chaffering with boatmen, drivers, and 
custodians, and were enabled to stand and 
look coolly on while he disposed of them 
by paying Italian prices fur American 
travelers. These fellows evidently re- 
garded it as a regular swindle, depriving 
them of their lawful rights of plunder. 
We had but little opportunity of seeing 
Leghorn, except as we landed at the quay 
and drove through the town, but it seemed 
to have nothing of the appearances of 
commercial prosperity that distinguished 
Genoa. It is a very clean and well-built 
city, with finely-paved streets, the blocks 
being about fifteen inches by thirty, and 
laid diagonally. It has a population of 
one hundred thousand, and the people 
have a reputation for thrift and industry. 
The public and private buildings are use- 
ful but not ornamental, and its palazzo 
is ornamented with some fine statues of 
the former Grand Dukes, before Leghorn 
became a part of the domain of Victor 



Emmanuel. Close to the harbor is an 
ancient statue erected two hundred and 
eighty years ago, in honor of Ferdinand 
I., with four figures of Turkish slaves in 
bronze chained to the four corners of the 
pedestal, and looking with terror upon 
their conqueror. 

ROAD TO PISA. 

We took carriages at Leghorn for the 
railroad depot, and on the route stopped 
at the water reservoir of Leghorn, in a 
solid stone building, to which the water 
from several tine springs in the mountains 
is conducted. The reservoir covers about 
an acre, and the water is thirty feet deep, 
but so clear that several stone inscrip- 
tions upon the bottom can be distinctly 
read. All the fountains in the city are 
supplied from this reservoir. On return- 
ing to our carriages we were beset by a 
crowd of beggai-s. There could not have 
been less than twenty of them, men, 
women, and children, some blind and lame, 
but all wearing countenances indicating 
wretchedness and distress. As we dis- 
tributed among them all the change in 
our possession, the trembling eagerness 
with which the outstretched hand clutched 
the coin satisfied us that, although lazi- 
ness may be at the root of the evil, neces- 
sity was the controlling motive. 

We found a large and spacious depot, 
well arranged, and cars far superior to 
those on the English roads. The distance 
from Leghorn to Pisa is about ten miles, 
passing through a fine agricultural region 
in which there were fields of corn in tas- 
sel, and abundance of grapes. We ob- 
served quite a number of women working 
in the fields, and on one occasion a canal- 
boat being drawn by two women who 
were regularly yoked to the rope and 
seemed to be following their ordinary 
daily avocation. In Tuscany, however, 
everybody is expected to work, and al- 
though there are a few beggars, one 
scarcely ever sees even an idle child, the 
children being employed in making the 
fiimous Leghorn hats and bonnets. 

PISA AND ITS ATTRACTIONS. 

No one visits Italy without stopping a 
few hours at Pisa, and the passing trains 
between Florence and Leghorn always 
drop and take up returning passengers at 
this point. On passing out of the depot 
we were surrounded by a score of carriage- 
drivers, each of whom protested that 
he was the most honorable man in Pisa. 
These men, on the other hand, have the 
reputation of being the most dishonest 
scamps in creation. We referred them 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



191 



to Captain Lotta, and they soon discov- 
ered that nothing but Italian prices must 
be expected for our party. A drive of 
about" twenty minutes through the town 
brouo-ht us to the cathedral, with its 
Leaning Tower, Baptistery, and the 
Cainpo Santo, all of which were com- 
menced in the years 1000 and 1100, dur- 
ing a period when Pisa was supreme over 
Corsica, Sardinia, Palermo, and the Ba- 
learic Islands. 

The cathedral is two hundred and 
ninety-two feet in length, with nave and 
double aisles, intercepted by a transept 
with aisles, and surmounted by an ellip- 
tical dome over the centre. The exterior 
is very fine, but the interior exceeds in 
artistic and costly ornamentation any 
cathedral we have ever entered. In 
statuary, paintings, mosaics, carvings, 
basso-relievos, by the greatest of ancient 
artists, it is profuse, and has several 
specimens of sculptui-e by Michael An- 
gelo. The interior is supported by sixty- 
eight columns, many of which are of Greek 
and Roman origin, having been captured 
by the Pisans in war. The twelve altars 
were also designed by Michael Angelo. 
One of the chapels contains an altar 
cased in chased silver-work, with gold 
ornamentation, the gift of Cosmo III. 
The silver is said to have alone cost, in- 
dependent of the work, one hundred and 
eighty thousand dollars. 

The Baptistery is a singular building, 
of white marble, rising to a dome from 
the ground one hundred and seventy-nine 
feet" high. The font, altar, and pulpit 
are of white marble, exquisitely carved, 
almost resembling lace. The great at- 
traction of this structure is its wonderful 
echo, a deep-chested custodian being in 
attendance, who sounds several notes, the 
echo continuing to reverberate for nearly 
a minute, returning with all the sweet- 
ness of an organ, and finally dying off in 
a whisper. 

THE LEANING TOWER 

Is a world-wide curiosity. We ascended 
it and stood upon the iron lialustrade, 
twenty feet above the bell-gallery, and 
had an extended view of the Apennine 
Mountains, and the great Valley of the 
Arno stretching out towards Florence, 
and the broad blue expanse of the Medi- 
terranean to the we'^t. The tower con- 
tains six bells, the heaviest one of them, 
weighing s'x tons, being suspended upon 
the side opposite to the overhanging side 
of the tower, which is twelve feet out of 
the perpendicular. Discussions have fre- 



quently arisen as to whether this pecu- 
liarity was intentional or accidental. The 
most probable solution is that the founda- 
tion settled during the progress of the 
structure, and that, to remedy the defect 
as much as possible, an attempt was made 
to give a vertical position to the upper 
portion. It has been built seven hundred 
years, and many of the columns which 
have shown evidences of decay have been 
removed and new ones inserted in their 
places, especially on the leaning side. 

THE CAMPO SANTO. 

The Campo Santo, or burial-ground, 
immediately adjoins the Baptistery. Arch- 
bishop Waldo, in 1188, after the loss of the 
Holy Land, had conveyed hither fifty-three 
ship-loads of earth from Mount Calvary, 
in order that the dead might repose in 
holy ground. It is surrounded by a 
heavy stone wall forty-three feet high, 
and is roofed towards the centre on the 
inside, where there is an open court-yard. 
The walls on the inside are covered with 
frescoes by eminent painters, represent- 
ing various scenes in Scripture history, 
as w^ell as imaginary scenes of the tor- 
ments of hell. There is a beautiful monu- 
ment of the singer Angelica Catalani, and 
a bust of Count Camillo Cavour. This is 
undoubtedly the most interesting of the 
four Pisan curiosities, if time could be 
given to examine it. It is said that the 
difference between the present time and 
formerly is this : formerly the dead were 
required to pay a fee on entering, but, as 
they never left it, of course nothing more 
could be demanded of them •, and so now 
the living enter free, but ai-e compelled 
to pay well before they are allowed to 
depart ! 

CIVITA VECCHIA. 

Having finished Pisa, we drove through 
the town back to the depot, and in less 
than an hour were on board the Roi Je- 
rome, steaming towards Civita Vecchia, 
which we reached at daybreak on Satur- 
day morning. Having a remembrance 
that fleas, beggars, and lazzaroni were its 
main attractions some twelve years ago, 
we did not go ashore, but could plainly 
perceive that it has vastly improved since 
it passed from the dominion of the pope 
to that of Victor Emmanuel. A large and 
powerful fort has been built to protect 
the harbor, which is regarded as the gate 
to Rome, and, from the number of new 
buildings being constructed, the city must 
have considerably increased in popula- 
tion. 



192 



ETJBOPE VIEWED THROUGH 



FLEAS AND BEGGAIPS. 

These are the two most annoying im- 
pediments to the enjoyment of travel in 
Italy. They both approach you in 
swarms, and it is useless to attempt to 
dodge or avoid them. You must calmly 
submit, or beat a retreat. The fleas come 
upon you unawares, and make th.eir ap- 
proaches to chosen portions of your body, 
reaching the least vulnerable position be- 
fore giving notice of their presence. 
They are most severe upon the ladies, 
who, in traveling, have few opportunities 
to expel and punish the invader. The 
pleasure of visiting strange scenes, and 
examining curiosities of nature and art, 
with a score of fleas tugging at your very 
vitals, is undoubtedly greatly marred. 
We are, however, assured that we will 
soon get used to them. The beggars are 
much easier disposed of, but it can only 
be done by giving them what they re- 
quire, otherwise they Avill cling to you 
with all the tenacity of their fellow-nui- 
sances. The fleas are equally rapacious 
with the natives, as it is a common scene 
to see them catching them on their chil- 
dren or one another. They have a mode 
of killing them much more expeditious 
than is adopted by strangers, which is 
said to be giving them a peculiar twist 
which breaks their backs. This morning 
a boa*man dropped his oars just under 
our cabin-window, pulled ofl' his stocking, 
and in a moment committed to watery 
graves three of these pests. He had evi- 
dently disabled their jumping capacity 
by some invisible process. The poor beg- 
gars are such God-forsaken-looking crea- 
tures, and seem so intent, as if starvation 
would 1)0 the result of failure, that we do 
not know whether it is not a real pleasure 
to give them temporary relief. Then they 
are satisfied with such a trifle, and shower 
such blessings upon you, that they almost 
convince you that you have done a good 
action, even if you feel in your heart that 
you have only encouraged vice and lazi- 
ness. 

TRAVEL ON THE MEDITERRANEAN. 

We have had a very pleasant journey 
upon the Roi Jerome. With the excep- 
ion of a few passengers who left us at 
Genoa, there have been but two other pas- 
sengers, and Captain Lotta has exerted 
himself to the utmost for our comfort and 
enjoyment. The weather has been de- 
lightful during our four days' trip, and 
the ocean as calm and smooth as could 
possibly be expected or desired, with a 



bright sun by day and a brilliant moon 
by night. An awning spread over the 
deck has enabled us to live in the open 
air, and notwithstanding the heat reported 
to us at home, here in sunny Italy we 
have not been for a moment uncomfort- 
able up to the middle of July. Within a 
few hours we will be in sight of Vesu- 
vius, and at eleven o'clock to-night will 
drop anchor in the beautiful Bay of 
Naples. 

ITALIAN COOKING. 

Our table has been spread, most of the 
time on deck, with all the luxuries of 
the Mediterranean, afresh variety having 
been daily procured at Genoa, Leghorn, 
and Civita Vecchia. Still, we cannot say 
that Italian dainties and Italian cooking 
are to our taste. At breakfast, for in- 
stance, the first course was three varieties 
of shell-fish, served in the shell (none of 
them larger than an English walnut), 
M'ith wine and bread and butter. Neither 
of tliese shell-fish were to our tastes pal- 
atai)le. The second course consisted of 
fried veal and toast, evidently fried in 
olive oil, and seasoned with some native 
herb. The third course was boiled lob- 
ster, dressed with native herbs. The 
fourth course was mutton-chops with fried 
potatoes. The fifth course was two kinds 
of cheese. The sixth course consisted of 
pears, plums, ripe figs, and green filberts. 
The seventh course M'as a cup of strong 
hot coff"ee. It Avas evidently a good break- 
fast for those who like it, but did not suit 
us as well as the breakfast served by our 
friend Colonel Coleman. On arising in 
the morning a cup of hot coffee is served 
to each passenger who desires it. Break- 
fast is served at ten o'clock in the morn- 
ing, and dinner at six o'clock in the even- 
ing. Breakfast and dinner are very 
much alike, and we are assured that no 
one is considered in good health who does 
not dispose of a pint-bottle of wine at 
each meal. 



CITY OF NAPLES. 

VESUVIUS TRANQUIL AND VESUVIUS IN 
ERUPTION. 

City of Naples, July, 1873. 

Leaving Civita Vecchia on Saturday 
afternoon, we found ourselves when we 
awoke on Sunday morning anchored in 
the harbor of Naples, Avith Mount A^esu- 
vius looming up to our right, enveloped 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



193 



in a cloud of mist, except its pinnacle, 
which protruded above the dense fog 
which had settled on its sides. A lazily- 
moving stream of smoke, such as might 
be seen arising from a cottage chimney, 
was floating off from the mouth of the 
crater. Every vestige of the recent great 
eruption has apparently disappeared. 
After the smaller eruption in 1858 the 
lava continued to run in a small stream 
for nearly two years, but the old moun- 
tain seems to have completely exhausted 
itself for a time in its gi-and effort of 
1871. 

OUR LANDING EFFECTED. 

About seven o'clock on Sunday morn- 
ing we disembarked, and found that 
we had less difficulty than anticipated 
with boatmen, custom-house officials, car- 
riage-drivers, and especially the usual 
crowd of volunteers, each one of whom 
seizes a piece of baggage and insists upon 
carrying it to your carriage. We dis- 
posed of the latter by giving a franc to 
the most prominent, with gesticulations 
to share it, leaving them to tight out the 
question of division among themselves. 
which they were warmly engaged in 
when we succeeded in getting our car- 
riage in motion. The boatman and car- 
riage-driver were satisfied with about one- 
half of Baltimore prices, which we ten- 
dered them, and subsequently found upon 
looking over the tariff of charges that 
we had paid about double legal rates 1 
The price for a carriage holding four per- 
sons is thirty cents an hour for the first 
hour, and twenty cents for each subse- 
quent hour. The fact is that those who 
complain of extortion in Europe forget 
what the charges of travel are at home. 
Here the waiter or attendant receives 
little or no salary, and expects a trifle 
from the guests. He is satisfied with a 
few pennies, and only dissatisfied if he 
receives nothing. 

OUR LOCATION IN NAPLES. 

The season for visitors at Naples is 
over, and most of the hotels are entirely 
empty of guests. We finally located our- 
selves at the Palace of Prince Caramanico, 
now the Grand United States Hotel. It 
contains most of the heavy gilded furni- 
ture of its palatial days, fronts on the 
bay, and with Vesuvius on its left com- 
mands a fine view of the Villa Nazionale 
and the Villa Reale. We found upon in- 
quiry that we were the only guests in the 
extensive house, and that we could have 
a choice of rooms, with dinner at the 
13 



table-d' hote, for ten francs each per day. 
Our other meals are to be furnished to 
order or picked up wherever we may 
happen to be in our wanderings. We 
must not omit to add that we have at this 
price the use also of an elegant parlor, 
furnished in all the grandeur of gilt and 
velvet, fronting on the bay, adjoining our 
chambers, in which we are now writing. 
This certainly does not look like extor- 
tion, and we did not chaffer or dispute 
the prices. We have the advantage here 
of ordering what we want cooked in the 
way we want it, and have just disposed 
of a breakfast, d V Am^ricaiae, which 
suited us all better than anything we 
have eaten since we have left hoiue. 

NAPLES ox SUNDAY. 

There is little diffei-ence apparent here 
between Sunday and weekdays. As 
we drove from the custom-house before 
seven o'clock this morning through the 
lower part of the city, all the stores and 
shops were open, the market in full opera- 
tion, the vehicles of trade in motion, and 
mechanics at work at their avocations. 
The streets were thronged with donkeys 
almost covered up with loads of vegeta- 
bles ; women with hand-wagons crying 
their fruits; whilst priests, monks, and 
barefooted friars were intermixed among, 
wandering musicians with bagpipes and 
dancing-boys. Some persons appeared, 
however, to be intent on properly ob- 
serving the day, being arrayed in their 
best attire, and were moving towards the 
churches, having first visited the market 
to purchase bouquets to lay at the shrine 
of the Virgin. The better classes were also 
moving towards the churches in car- 
riages, each bearing a bouquet, and ap- 
parently intent on the religious duties of 
the day. 

SCENES FROM OCR WINDOWS. 

During the last hour a half-dozen sing- 
ing, dancing, and musical geniuses, all in 
rags and tatters, and apparently with 
their skins unwashed for a month of Sun- 
days, have followed in succession under 
our windows, a half-franc thrown to the 
first of the callers having apparently 
brought the whole crowd in pursuit of 
us. It was truly amusing to witness the 
wild enthusiasm of the party at so large 
a sum of money, equal to our ten-cent 
piece, they having gone on dancing and 
singing with renewed vigor and earnest- 
ness. The practice here is to throw them 
a small copper coin equal to about one- 
fourth of a cent. 



194 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



In front of the Villa Reale, or public 
square, extending about half a mile on 
the bay, long stagings and bath-houses 
have been erected, and the scene from our 
•windows is equal to that at Cape May. 
There must be many thousands of boys 
and men floundering and swimming in 
the water. It is to be hoped that the 
dingy, dirty-looking men and boys still 
on the streets will also avail themselves 
of this free bathing, and, as cleanliness is 
akin to godliness, they could not better 
observe the Sabbath day. Among the 
lower classes of this immense city, nearly 
double the size of Baltimore, tilthiness 
is the rule and cleanliness the exception. 

A WALK ON THE TOLEDO. 

About twelve o'clock, desiring to see 
something of Sunday in the heart of the 
city, a portion of our party started for a 
walk, and moved towards the Toledo 
through the long net-work of narrow 
streets, too steep, if not too narrow, for a 
carriage to penetrate, with houses six to 
seven stories in height, in which the work- 
ing classes reside. We found them alive 
with people of all classes, some at work 
mending shoes or tailoring, all the stores 
open, the street-hucksters busy plying 
their vocation, wandering tinners mend- 
ing pans and kettles, and intermixed 
with them was a throng of well-dressed 
people returning from church. The only 
guide we had in reaching the Strada 
Toledo out of this intricate line of long 
and steep ascending or rapidly descend- 
ing thoroughfares was an occasional 
glimpse of Vesuvius on one side, or of 
the Castle of St. Elmo looming up in 
almost equal grandeur on the other side. 
We finally struck the Chiaja, and were 
soon in the moving mass of humanity on 
the Toledo. This is the main retail 
thoroughfare of Naples, and one of the 
few streets of the city through which 
vehicles can be driven. It is not as broad 
as Baltimore Street, but it is paved with 
blocks of granite, and the street forms as 
good a footpath as the sidewalk, which 
is kept scrupulously clean. The stores 
here were generally closed, with the ex- 
ception of tobacco-stores, cafes, restau- 
rants, and "lira stores" (a lira is twenty 
cents), which correspond with our " dollar- 
stores," the goods being of about the 
same quality and kind. They were 
thronged with purchasers, and were doing 
a brisk business. The " money-changers' " 
stalls upon the corners were open, and 
the vendors of lemonade were at every 
corner furnishing this cooling drink for 



the people, which appears to be a favorite 
beverage. 

It was evident from our observations 
during this walk that the people of Naples 
enjoy the largest liberty as to the ob- 
servance of Sunday, though it is apparent 
that the only stores that are closed are 
those that would not be likely to do much 
business on Sunday if they were open. 
A great many hat-stores were open, and 
some glove-stores, with a few jewelry- 
establishments. A volunteer military com- 
pany, with a full band, also passed along 
the Toledo just as the people were leaving 
the churches. 

THE NEAPOLITAN LADIES. 

The better classes of the ladies of 
Naples never walk on the streets, except 
to and from the church on Sunday ; the 
only promenade they enjoy being on their 
house-tops, where plants are cultivated 
and vines trailed upon arbors. Conse- 
quently, we had an excellent opportunity 
to see a large number of them during our 
walk to-day. We do not know when we 
have seen so many well-dressed ladies. 
They w'ere dressed with exquisite taste, in 
light gossamer materials, all gaudy inter- 
mixture of colors being avoided, and we 
particularlj'' noticed that not a single 
trailing dress was visible. Trails are 
worn here only in-doors, or whilst riding ; 
never on the streets, except by the lower 
classes and \J^ those who make no claims 
to respectability. The younger ladies 
here are undoubtedly handsome, most of 
them brunettes, though we passed many 
decided blondes. They wear very little 
jewelry on the streets except diamonds, 
and, although this is the great depot for 
coral jewelry, there was not a single set 
visible. It would be difficult to meet 
with finer-dressed gentlemen than were 
accompanying the ladies, and their chil- 
dren were arrayed in the same cool and 
light material as their mothers and 
sisters wore. 

AN EVENING DRIVE. 

Desirous of seeing as much as possible 
of the people of Naples on Sunday, we 
started in the afternoon for a drive, and 
soon found ourselves on the Chiaja in a 
double line of carriages, one passing up 
and the other down in regular review, in 
which were all the finest establishments 
in Naples, including a good many that 
were anything else but fine. They moved 
steadily on, presenting a democratic 
equality quite unexpected in this old 
capital of the defunct Bourbon dynasty. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



195 



The display of liveried footmen and finely- 
dressed ladies was very larj^e, whilst all 
the young bloods of the city were out 
with their fast horses. The fashional:>le 
drive appears to be a circle of the city 
formed by the Strada Toledo, the Chiaja, 
and the Palazzo, by which a course of a 
mile is obtained on tlie line of the bay. Most 
of the streets are so narrow, and the throng 
of pedestrians so great, constantly press- 
ing on the carriage-ways, that the scene 
presented was quite exciting. Later in 
the evening, after the more stately car- 
riages had withdrawn, the young bloods 
of all degrees took possession of the 
drive, and the crack of whips and the 
yells of the drivers indicated some spir- 
ited contests on the Chiaja in front of 
our hotel. All classes able to procure ve- 
hicles took part in this review, Avhich we 
learn is repeated every Sunday afternoon, 
weather permitting. 

NEAPOLITAN SCRAPS. 

The scenes we witnessed to-day all in- 
dicated that the people of Naples are bent 
on enjoying life and seem to be a good- 
hearted and kindly-disposed people. The 
number of street-beggars is in a great 
measure the fault of the people, as an 
appeal is seldom made to them in vain. 
The sums they give are small, but they 
toss them coppers as they walk or ride 
past them, especially on Sundays, with- 
out waiting for an appeal. 

The number of priests, monks, and 
friars on the streets is very great." They 
are in a variety of dresses, and we ob- 
served many riding in carriages on the 
grand promenade this afternoon. A very 
black man, apparently about thirty years 
of age, passed us arrayed in a monk's 
dress of thick, heavy, brown serge, with 
a rope around his waist, and bareheaded, 
with sandals on his feet. He was walk- 
ing with a brother of the same order. 

The weather here is warm, but not 
what we would call oppressive at home. 
Our rooms are within fifty feet of the bay, 
and we have a delightful breeze all day, 
whilst at night we sleep very comfortably 
with closed windows. If it were not for 
the fleas, which are very annoying to the 
ladies, our sojourn would be very pleas- 
ant. There is but one of the party, and 
he an inveterate smoker, whom they seem 
to shun. If they happen to alight upon 
him they soon jump off again, without 
making any depredations. This will be 
comforting to smokers who propose to 
visit Italy. 

The tramp of companies and regiments 



of soldiers is constant, and the police of 
the city weai' militai'y uniforms, carrying 
a sword in daytime, and both rifle and 
sword at night. There is evidently great 
military activity throughout Italy, and the 
drilling of recruits was going on as we 
passed through both Genoa and Leghorn. 
Sunday in Naples is regarded as a holi- 
day, and we learn that all who are re- 
quired to work upon that day are entitled 
to demand increased pay, the same as on 
all other holidays. 

City of Naples, July, 1873. 

HAPPINESS OF THE PEOPLE. 

Naples is full of life and animation. 
It is stirring, bright and beautiful on its 
principal thoroughfares, and even the 
denizens of its narrow alleys, with their 
tall houses, seem to think that they are 
in a paradise of bliss. The variety of 
smells that pervade these cracks of the 
city (Avhich are not more than twelve feet 
wide, six of which are taken up by the 
women and children, who mostly live on 
the streets) may possibly be calculated 
to conduce to a happy state of mind. 
They look happy, talk happy, and are a 
jovial people, in all grades of life, from 
the lazzaroni to the prince. It is difficult 
to conceive what makes some of them 
happy, but that they are gloriously happy 
no one who has spent a few days in 
Naples will undertake to dispute. In 
these contracted quarters one-half of the 
day is spent by the females in catching 
and killing fleas off themselves or their 
children, and whilst engaged in this de- 
lectable pursuit they will go on laughing 
and talking as if it were the most delight- 
ful employment that could possibly be 
undertaken. To be sure, we are here in 
the season of the year in which these 
pests are most numerous and active, but 
the old residents have become so accus- 
tomed to them that they scarcely notice 
them, and go through the operation of 
catching and killing without apparently 
knowing that they are engaged in what 
would be regarded as a terrible infliction 
by the rest of mankind. Our waiter to- 
day assured us that we were suffering 
from mosquito-bites, and actually pro- 
fessed not to know what a flea was. An 
American lady told me this morning that 
she had caught and killed thirty-four on 
her own person before dinner; and as to 
bites, it was difficult to find where they 
were not. Hence we propose to make 
our stay in Naples very short, and shall 
soon leave for Rome, though in doing so 



196 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



we may probably be getting out of the 
frying-pan into the fire. 

VISIT TO THE MUSEUM. 

We spent most of to-day in the Museum 
of Pompeiian Curiosities, which are very 
interesting, but would be more so if there 
was a properly-prepared catalogue of the 
various articles for the use of visitors, 
who are necessarily compelled to make a 
hasty examination. The collection of 
articles taken from the rviins of Pompeii 
embraces everything in art that is excel- 
lent and wonderful, including both statu- 
ary and paintings, their two thousand 
years of interment in scoria and ashes 
having failed to mar their beauty or dim 
their colors. Some of the paintings taken 
from the walls of the houses are very 
lascivious, and some of them decidedly 
vulgar, but they are executed in a style 
of art and coloring that can scarcely be 
equaled at the present day. The statuary 
and busts are in the highest style of 
art, most of the latter being evidently 
likenesses of the prominent men and 
women of the city of Pompeii. The col- 
lection of finger-rings, bracelets, neck- 
laces, and ornaments for the hair is very 
extensive, all of pure gold, and the en- 
graved seals and cornelians are finely ex- 
ecuted. Then there are wheat, corn, and 
even loaves of bread found in an oven, 
black but in good shape, and every variety 
of pots and kettles that were used for culi- 
nary purposes. A large number of artists 
were engaged in making copies of the 
paintings, whilst others were making 
drawings of scroll-work and metal tables 
and urns, to have them reproduced, the 
models being superior to anything of the 
present age. 

Admission to the museum was formerly 
free, but the custodians managed to get 
two or three fees out of each visitor. 
Now the price of admission is one franc, 
and visitors are admonished to give the 
custodians nothing, and the custodians 
are commanded to receive nothing, under 
pain of dismissal. 

SHOPPING IN NAPLES. 

We spent our time yesterday in a gen- 
eral exploration of the city, whilst the 
ladies were engaged in the genial and 
pleasing occupation of shopping. They 
returned well versed in the value of kid 
gloves, coral jewelry, lava, amethysts, and 
cameos. They found these articles all 
astonishingly cheap. The finest gauntlet 
kids were but two and a half francs per 
pair, or about fifty cents, and ordinary 



party kids with three buttons, of all 
colors, from thirty to forty cents per 
pair. Gentlemen's black kids of the 
finest quality were but forty cents per 
pair. The ornamental goods were cor- - 
respondingly low. A set of medium light 
coral jewelry, breastpin and ear-rings, 
such as would cost from seventy-five dol- 
lars to one hundred dollars at home, could 
be had here at from twenty dollars to forty 
dollars, although prices have greatly ad- 
vanced within the past few years. A 
very elegant and elaborate set of coral, 
consisting of breastpin, ear-rings, bracelet 
and necklace, was purchased for ninety 
dollars. So also as to amethysts. Dia- 
monds were found to be surprisingly low, 
compared with prices at home, both for 
solitaires and clusters. The ladies of 
our party tested thoroughly the question 
as to whether they were being charged 
exorbitant prices, that is to say, prices in 
advance of what would be charged native 
purchasers, and found that charges were 
fixed, and that the dealersAvould not deviate 
one franc, even in articles valued at from 
fourteen to fifteen hundred francs. All 
they asked was that the ladies would come 
back again if not suited elsewhere, with the 
assurance that nobody in Naples could or 
would sell goods cheaper than they had 
ofl'ered them. On thoroughly searching 
the city it was found that such was 
the case. Hence the conclusion is that 
the dealers of Naples do not take ad- 
vantage of strangers, but have fixed 
prices for their goods, from which they 
cannot be induced to deviate. 

won't go HOME TILL MORNING. 

The streets of Naples show as much 
life and activity in daytime as those of 
Paris, and with the exception of one hour 
during the night, from half-past two to 
half-past three, the same moving pano- 
rama is to be witnessed. Carriages and 
vehicles are running all night, and the 
merry peals of laughter and cracking of 
whips during the small hours show that 
their occupants are seeking pleasure and 
enjoyment. When one class goes to bed 
the other gets up, and the clatter of don- 
keys, with an occasional bray, and the 
loud shouts of the drivers, keep up a per- 
petual din until the break of day, when 
the cries of the vendors of vegetables and 
fruits are added to the din. An hour 
later, and all the garrisons of the city, in- 
cluding the awkward squads, are marched 
down to the solid stone pavement lining 
the sea-wall of the bay, and here they are 
drilled until breakfast-time, their steady 



Ji 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



197 



tramp as they march and countermarch 
directly under our windows being not in 
the least calculated to soothe to balmy 
sleep. The signs of a military govern- 
ment are everywhere visible, even the 
police being well-drilled men, armed with 
swords in daytime and a rifle by night. 
They are mostly very young men, but 
move about with a soldierly bearing that 
could only be acquired froni active service. 
When a stranger drops suddenly into 
an Italian community where all the active 
pursuits of life are in full progress, he 
imagines from the violent gesticulations 
and loud emphatic language that a gene- 
ral quarrel is in progress. Nothing could, 
however, do them more injustice than such 
an opinion. It is only their emphatic and 
earnest manner of expression that gives 
ground for the impression. Certain it is 
that a more orderly city than Naples we 
have not recently visited. The incident 
of two boys fighting in the street quickly 
brought around them a crowd of gentle- 
men to separate and pacify them. 

FRUITS OF NAPLES. 

There is evidently an abundance of 
fruits of excellent quality in the neigh- 
borhood of Naples, and, although the 
season is just commencing, they can be 
obtained from the fruit-stands at very 
reasonable prices. Good pears cost ten 
cents a dozen, and quite large and lus- 
cious peaches, equal to those at. home, 
cost twenty-five cents per dozen. At Mar- 
seilles we were charged for six peaches 
furnished at breakfast the enormous price 
of fifteen francs, — about three dollars in 
our money. Plums and greengages are 
very cheap and abundant, and of unusual 
size. The green figs are very large, but 
are not as palatable as those of Georgia 
and South Carolina. Most of the sale of 
fruits and vegetables by retail, as in 
Paris, is done by street-peddlers, princi- 
pally women. It seems like home to get 
where fruit is again plenty. There are 
also cantaloupes in the markets, looking 
very much like those of America, though 
not so palatable. The plums and green- 
gages are of the largest size, and are 
entirely free from worms. Cherries are 
about the size of our damsons, and very 
firm and luxurious. Peas, beans, lettuce, 
radishes, and all the garden vegetables 
grow to perfection here, and cucumbers 
attain fully twelve inches in length. 

HOW THE BABIES ARE NURSED. 

The ladies are terribly shocked at the 
apparent cruel treatment of babies, though, 



as far as we can observe, they are about 
as happy as most babies of other coun- 
tries. They are apparently strapped to 
boards, and wound up in sheets and band- 
ages, so as to look like little mummies. 
Their limbs, and indeed their whole 
bodies, from chin to toes, are covered up 
and pinned, leaving only their arms loose, 
and in some cases these seem to come in 
for a share of the general wrapping. 
Whether the object is to make them grow 
straight and erect, or to keep the fleas 
from getting access to their tender bodies, 
"it is difiicult to say, but the practice 
seems to be universal with all classes. 
How they are kept clean under such 
treatment is the question to be solved ; 
but most of the people here seem to have 
a difi"erent idea of cleanliness from the 
rest of mankind. Among the lower 
classes the babies, so soon as they can 
walk, are apparently turned loose to take 
care of themselves. In passing through 
the narrow streets, numbers of them can 
be seen toddling about with no one to 
look after them, their skin so grimed 
with dirt and filth that one can scarcely 
determine their original color. Other 
infants were in charge of children of 
slightly advanced age. By the time chil- 
dren reach eight years, they are put at 
work driving donkeys, carrying water, 
etc. The only attention the parents 
seem to give to the children, or at least 
all that we have yet discovered, is an oc- 
casional examination of their little bodies, 
the operation being interspersed by an 
occasional picking off of something which 
receives a mysterious twist between the 
thumb and forefinger and is then cast 
upon the ground. 

It seems to us that a Yankee baby 
would not stand such treatment as these 
Neapolitan brothers and sisters bear with 
equanimity and apparent satisfaction. 
Perhaps they have the best of it — who 
knows? 

THE FAITHFUL DONKEY. 

What would Naples do without its 
donkeys? This is a question that in- 
trudes itself every time we look out of 
the window or perambulate its streets. 
The little donkey is not much larger than 
a Newfoundland dog, but he is all muscle, 
and exhibits much strength and endur- 
ance. He can carry on his back as much 
as an ordinary horse, and then take on 
top of his load both his master and mis- 
tress, and, if necessary, the children of the 
household. He seems never to be over- 
loaded. No matter how much he is 



198 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



beaten, he maintains his spirits and good 
nature, and will bray as loud as an ele- 
phant at every donkey acquaintance that 
may pass him. Every household has its 
donkey, and no household would know 
how to get along in the world without 
its donkey. Every youngster of good 
family has his donkey for saddle-pur- 
poses, and every huckster has his donkey 
for doing all the carrying that he may 
require. We see almost as many donkeys 
as men on the streets ; hence we ask, what 
would Naples do without its donkeys ? 

Naples, July, 1873. 

AYe will now proceed to narrate our 
visit to Pompeii, which, like Mount Vesu- 
vius, far exceeded our anticipations in all 
its characteristics. We expected to meet 
with nothing in Pompeii that would as- 
tonish or particularly interest us ; but it 
soon became evident that in grandeur and 
magnificence the buried city rivaled that 
of Rome, which was contemporaneously 
destroyed by the violence of man. 

We took an early breakfast, and our 
party, comprising six, started at eight 
o'clock in a large carriage, which we had 
engaged for three and a half piastres for 
the entire day, it being the standing rule 
of all travelers to ofi'er just half the price 
charged, though sometimes it is prudent 
to persist on paying only about one-fourth 
of the original demand. We proceeded 
at a brisk pace around the head of the 
bay, passing through the suburbs of Na- 
ples, the towns of Pasagno, Portici, Re- 
sina, Favorita, Torre del Greco, Rossi, and 
Torre dell' Annunziata, to the gates of 
Pompeii, in the rear of A'^esuvius, a dis- 
tance of fourteen miles, which was accom- 
plished in about two hours. 

The whole of this route through these 
towns, most of them being situated on the 
base and sides of Vesuvius, was like pass- 
ing through a continuous street of Naples, 
paved all the way, and all connecting with 
each other so closely that without a pre- 
vious study of the locality the change of 
corporate limits could not be discerned. 
The road coasts the eastern shore of the 
bay to the right, with Vesuvius to the 
left ; but it is so completely shut out from 
the sea by the dead walls of the numerous 
villas, overgrown palace-gardens, and 
large unornamented houses, which stretch 
in an almost unbroken line as far as Torre 
deir Annunziata, that it has more the 
character of a long, uninteresting, dusty 
street than of a high post-road. The 
crowds of villagers were interesting to 
look upon, as well as the wine-shops, 



macaroni-establishments, and other quaint 
spectacles to the eye of a stranger. 

EXCAVATIONS OF POMPEII. 

When we entered the Herculaneum 
Gate the first sight that met our view 
was perhaps a hundred boys, from twelve 
to fifteen years of age, each with baskets 
of earth upon his shoulders, marching 
out of the streets of Pompeii. They were 
engaged in the excavations now progress- 
ing under direction of government,— 
sixty thousand lire, or about twelve 
thousand dollars, being appropriated an- 
nually for the purpose. Some of the 
discoveries recently made are very inter- 
esting, and are being collected in a mu- 
seum built on the ruins, which we first 
entered. Here are the fossilized remains 
of four of the victims of Pompeii, just 
as they fell in their struggle with death. 
There are two, supposed to be a mother 
and daughter, their limbs entwined, both 
lying on their faces, the daughter's head 
leaning on her arm, and both having 
rings on their fingers. A third is that 
of a large man, believed to have been an 
African, who was found with a lamp in 
his hand and a bag of money strapped to 
his waist, and is supposed to have )>een 
intent upoft plunder when he lost his life. 
In this museum are also to be found the 
bones of horses and other domestic ani- 
mals, as well as the various metal cook- 
ing and household utensils, earthenware 
jars, and glass bottles, which have recently 
been excavated. 

HOW POMPEII WAS DESTROYED. 

Pliny the Younger, who was a resident 
of Pompeii at the time of its destruction, 
gives an interesting account in his well- 
known letters to Tacitus, describing the 
death of his uncle, the elder Pliny, dis- 
tinguished as a naturalist. He speaks 
of a cloud of vapor as having been seen 
over Vesuvius on the afternoon of the 
24th of August in the year 79, which he 
likens in form to a pine-tree, ascending 
to a vast height and spreading out its 
branches. There had l)een for many 
days before some shocks of an earth- 
quake, which were not unusual, but they 
were so particularly violent that night 
that they not only shook everything, but 
seemed to threaten total destruction. In 
the morning the light was exceedingly 
faint and languid, the buildings all tot- 
tered, and the people resolved to quit the 
town. Having got to a considerable dis- 
tance, they stood still in the midst of a 
most dangerous and dreadful scene. The 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



199 



chariots were so agitated backwards and 
forwards, though upon the most level 
ground, that they could not be kept steady 
even by supporting them with large stones. 
The sea seemed to roll back upon itself, 
and to be driven from its banks by the 
convulsive motion of the earth, leaving 
several sea-animals on the shore. On the 
other side a black and dreadful cloud, 
bursting with an igneous serpentine va- 
por, darted out a long train of fire, re- 
sembling flashes of lightning, but much 
larger. Soon after the cloud seemed to 
descend and cover the whole ocean. Im- 
mediately after,darkness overspread them, 
not like that of a cloudy night or when 
there is no moon, but of a room when it 
is shut up and all the lights are extinct. 
Nothing was to be heard but the shrieks 
of women, the screams of children, and 
the cries of men ; some calling for their 
children, others for their parents, and 
others for their husbands, and only dis- 
tinguishing each other by their voices ; 
one lamenting his own fate, another that 
of his family ; some wishing to die from 
the very fear of dying ; some lifting their 
hands to the gods, but the greater part 
imagining that the last and eternal night 
was come which was to destroy the gods 
and the world together. At length a 
glimmering light appeared, which they 
imagined to be rather the forerunner of an 
approaching burst of flames, as in truth 
it was, than the return of day. The fire, 
however, fell at a distance, and they were 
again immersed in thick darkness, with 
a heavy shower of ashes raining upon 
them, which they were obliged to shake 
off, otherwise they would have been 
crushed and buried in the heap. At last 
this dreadful darkness was dissipated by 
degrees, like a cloud of smoke ; the real 
day I'eturned, and even the sun appeared, 
though as under a partial eclipse. Every 
object which presented itself to their 
weakened eyes was covered over with 
white ashes, as with a deep snow. The 
mountain afterwards threw out deluges 
of heated water, charged with the dry 
light ashes which were suspended in the 
air. This water, as it reached the soil, 
carried with it in its course the cinders 
which had fallen, and thus deluged 
Pompeii with a soft pasty volcanic mud 
or alluvium, which penetrated into places 
where neither scoria nor ashes could have 
reached, and thus completed the work of 
destruction. 

This is the substance of the description 
given by an eye-witness, and is most 
valuable as affording reliable evidence 



of the character of the eruption. This 
eruption also overwhelmed Ilerculaneum 
with lava, some of the ruins of which 
have been discovered about a mile dis- 
tant. On account of the difiiculty of ex- 
cavating the lava, but one subterranean 
excavation has been made, exhibiting the 
interior of two or three houses and tem- 
ples. 

STREETS OF POMPEII. 

Having entered the area of the exca- 
vated ruins, we were greatly surprised to 
find them in so excellent a state of pre- 
servation. We found ourselves walking 
through long paved streets, just as they 
were when thronged with inhabitants 
eighteen centuries ago, with the ruins of 
rows of houses on both sides, closely 
built up in every direction. The streets 
are extremely narrow, and it is clear that 
not more than one vehicle could pass at a 
time in any but the principal thorough- 
fares. They are paved with irregular 
blocks of lava, closely fitted together, and 
bordered by a narrow pavement and curb- 
stone, elevated a foot or more above the 
carriage-way. The streets are about 
twelve feet wide, and even the principal 
thoroughfares are not more than twenty 
feet in width. Elevated stepping-stones, 
like those now used in Baltimore, are fre- 
quently seen in the middle of the streets 
for the convenience of foot-passengers in 
time of rain. Stones for mounting horses 
are also f lund at the side of the pave- 
ments, and rings are found in the curbs 
opposite the principal houses and shops, 
for fastening the halter. Of the streets 
that have been excavated, five may be 
considered as the principal thoroughfares 
of the city. The sidewalks are of bricks, 
and occasionally stuccoed. 

DECORATIONS OF THE HOUSES. 

The private houses are generally small 
and low, and deficient in all that would 
be considered comfort at the present day, 
though it is evident that the whole space 
within the walls of the city, which are 
two miles in circumference, was closely 
occupied by buildings. The ground- 
floors of the larger houses were generally 
occupied as shops. The walls and roof 
were often decorated with great splendor, 
and the pavement was always of marble 
or mosaics. In the centre of the space 
occupied by the smallest houses there is 
nearly always to be found a sort of court- 
yard for garden and flowers. The rooms 
generally would be considered as closets 
at the present day, the walls of which are 



200 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



covered with rich frescoes and paintings, 
most of them in excellent preservation, 
and all evincing a state of gross immor- 
ality beyond any thing that can be con- 
ceived in the present age. No houses 
have, however, yet been discovered which 
can be regarded as having been the dwell- 
ings of the poor; and it remains to be 
proved by further excavations whether 
the lower orders were located in a sepa- 
rate quarter of the city, or whether Pom- 
peii was really free from any pauper popu- 
lation. 

SHOPS AND THEATRES. 

The shojis were very small, and when 
first excavated many of them had the 
names of their owners written over them, 
mostly in red paint ; others had signs to 
denote the trade that was carried on in 
them. Thus, a goat indicated a milk- 
shop or dairy ; two men carrying a large 
jug indicated a wine-shop ; tAvo men 
fighting indicated a gladiatorial school ; 
aman whipping a boy hoisted on another's 
back indicated a school-master ; and 
checkers denoted the door-post of the 
publican. The houses of bad repute were 
evidently marked by the authorities with 
an indelicate carved figure on the curb- 
stone, probably in order that no one 
should enter them without a knowledge 
of their character. 

The wine-shops seem to have been very 
numerous, and the marble counters, in 
which were built up large earthenware 
jars, each capable of holding nearly as 
much as a barrel, are still standing in 
good condition. These counters, with 
openings through their tops through 
which to dip up the wine, are generally 
square, with an open space in the middle, 
in which the vendor stood to supply his 
customers. There are two undoubted 
restaurants or cook-shops, M'here articles 
were cooked and sold across the counter. 
There is also a barber's shop, with a stone 
block in the centre, on which the Pom- 
peians sat to be shaved. 

The theatres and amphitheatres are on 
a most extensive scale, and are in an excel- 
lent state of preservation, though none 
of them are equal to the Coliseum at 
Rome. The interior of the great amphi- 
theatre was capable of seating ten thou- 
sand persons. The part now excavated 
is about one-fourth of the citj', and con- 
tains two forums, nine temples, two basil- 
icas, three piazzas, an amphitheatre, two 
theatres, a prison, several baths, nearly 
one hundred houses and shops, several 
villas, a considerable portion of the walls, 



seven gates, and about a dozen tombs. 
The tombs are outride of the walls, and 
are on a scale of great magnificence, the 
vaults under them having receptacles for 
urns to hold the ashes of the dead, the 
mode of burial among the Pompeians 
having l)een to burn the bodies and de- 
posit the ashes in funeral urns. 

The walls of the city are built of large 
blocks of lava, evincing fine workmanship. 
The upper courses, however, have been 
frequently broken and rudely repaired, 
showing the eflect of breaches, probably 
from the battering-rams of the enemy. 
The towers were square, and apparently 
have been of great height, having doubt- 
loss been overthrown by the earthquakes 
that preceded the destruction and burial 
of the city. 

VILLA OF DIOMEDE. 

The villa of Diomede, immediately out- 
side of the walls, judging from the ruins 
left, must have been a splendid establish- 
ment, decorated in the highest style of 
art, and embellished with statuary, paint- 
ings, fountain, bathing-room, and garden. 
Beneath the portico, and below the level 
of the gardens, was the wine-cellar, a long 
archway, not less than one hundred feet 
in length, in as perfect a state as when 
last occupied by its owner. A long row 
of wine-jars, each about four feet high, 
now stands in this vault, incrusted in 
lava against the wall. On the night of 
the eruption the owner of this splendid 
mansion appears to have lost the love of 
kindred in the eagerness to save life, for 
his skeleton was found, with that of an 
attendant, near the garden gate, the one 
still holding in his bony grasp the key of 
the villa, the other carrying a purse con- 
taining one hundred gold and silver coins, 
and some silver vases. While he was 
thus endeavoring to escape to the sea- 
shore, the members of his family, whom 
he had abandoned to their fate, took refuge 
in the wine-cellar, where seventeen of 
their skeletons were found near the door, 
as if they had endeavored to retrace their 
steps after finding that the place afi'orded 
no sufiicient shelter from the fiery tem- 
pest. From the gold bracelets on the 
necks and ai-ms of nearly all these skele- 
tons, it would appear that they were 
mostly females. Tavo were the skeletons 
of children, whose skulls still retained 
some portions of beautiful blonde hair. 
After they had perished, proliably from 
suffocation, the floor of the cellar was in- 
undated with a fine alluvium, which hard- 
ened on the bodies and took casts, not 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



201 



only of their forms, but even of the most 
delicate texture of the linen they wore, 
and of the jewels which adorned their 
persons. One cast of a young girl, part 
of which we saw in the museum, with 
her skull, possessed exceeding elegance 
of form ; the neck and breast especially 
were perfect models of female beauty. 

" How sadly echoing to the stranger's tread 
These walls respond, like voices from the dead 1" 

We also examined the spot where the 
skeletons of a mother and three children 
were found, all closely folded in each 
other's arms, which were decked with 
gold ornaments, elaborately worked, and 
enriched with pendent pearls of great 
value. 

OTHER RUINS. 

The ruins of a tavern are quite inter- 
esting. It has numerous apartments in 
the rear, which served probaidy as drink- 
ing-rooms. as one of the walls contained 
announcements of the public festivals of 
the day. The shop itself contained a fur- 
nace, steps for displaying the glasses, and 
a marble counter which still exhibits the 
stains of the liquor and the marks of the 
glasses ! The figure of Mercury was 
painted on various parts of the house, 
and some of the walls are covered with 
proper names, scratched by the customers 
upon the plastering, which covered other 
names of previous scribblers. 

The house of the surgeon was found 
well supplied with surgical instruments, 
of forty different varieties. The public 
bake-house was also examined with great 
interest. It has four stone mills in it. 
The oven stands in a perfect condition 
still, and is precisely after the fashion of 
the ovens of bakers of the present day. 
It had, when opened, fuel in it, apparently 
jus(f ready for lighting. 

HOUSE OF SALLUST. 

The house of Sallust was no doubt one 
of the most magnificent of the private resi- 
dences within the walls. It seems to 
have had attached to it a real prototype 
of the Oriental harem, every part of it 
being most elaborately decorated. In the 
adjoining room was found the skeleton of 
a young female, supposed to be that of 
the fair being who was enshrined in this 
retreat with so much privacy and mag- 
nificence. She had four rings on one of 
her fingers, set with engraved stones ; fine 
gold bracelets, two ear-rings, and thirty- 
two pieces of money were lying near her. 
Close at hand were found the skeletons 



of three other females, supposed to have 
been her slaves. 

The public baths are very fine and still 
in an excellent state of preservation. One 
has a vaulted celling, richly painted red 
and blue, with a cold-water basin of white 
marble in the centre, twelve feet ten 
inches in diameter and two feet nine 
inches deep. The warm bath is entered 
from the disrobing-room, and nearly cor- 
responds with it in size. There is also a 
vapor bath, the walls and chambers being 
constructed hollow, so as to allow the 
steam to circulate freely from the fur- 
naces. The women's baths are at the 
other side of the furnaces, and are ar- 
ranged and decorated in the same manner 
as those for the men. No less than five 
hundred stone lamps were found in one 
corridor of this establishment. 

THE FORUM. 

The Forum is a spacious and imposing 
spot, surrounded by the Temple of Jupi- 
ter, the Temple of Venus, and the Senate 
Chamber. It was ornamented on three 
sides by a broad colonnade of Grecian- 
Doric architecture. The Senate Chamber, 
or Basilica, was two hundred and twenty 
feet long and eighty feet broad, and in a 
vault under its stairway, used for prisoners 
during the progress of trial, were found 
two skeletons with their ankles manacled. 
The Pantheon had also evidently been a 
most elegant structure, it having been 
used as a residence for the Augustales, as 
well as for religious purposes. 

The ruins of the House of Venus and 
Mars are distinguished for a famous well 
of pure water, said to possess great min- 
eral qualities, one hundred and twenty 
feet deep, not at all affected by the 
changes it has undergone. 

TEMPLE OF ISIS. 

That which attracted our attention 
most was the famous Temple of Isis. The 
court presents all the arrangements for 
that worship. In one end is the sacred 
well of lustral purification, to which there 
was a descent by steps. Near it is the 
altar, on which were found the burnt 
bones of human victims who had just 
been sacrificed. In a niche in the wall 
was a figure of Harpocrates, with his fin- 
gers on his lips to enjoin silence upon the 
worshipers in regard to the mysteries 
they might witness. In another part was 
a figure of Isis. in purple drapery, partly 
gilt, holding a bronze sistrum and a key. 
In one of the rooms a skeleton was found 



202 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



holding a sacrificial axe, with which he 
had cut through two walls in the vain 
attempt to escape from destruction, but 
perished before he could penetrate the 
third. The subterranean passage and 
secret' stairs by which the priest could ol> 
tain access to the interior of the altar 
and deliver the oracles as if they pro- 
ceeded from the statue of Isis herself, we 
examined with great interest. 

RUINS OF THE BARRACKS. 

The barracks near the gate were un- 
doubtedly the great headquarters of the 
Pompeian troops. In the guard-room 
were found four skeletons with their legs 
fastened in iron stocks ; in the sleeping- 
apartments, numerous helmets of bronze 
and iron, with bolts, lances, swords, 
leather belts, etc. In the rooms of the 
officers above were found helmets of va- 
rious kinds, some of the most exquisite 
workmanship, with swords, and various 
articles of female dress and ornament of 
the richest kind, proving that the fami- 
lies of the officers lived in the barracks 
with them. Among the personal orna- 
ments found were two necklaces of mass- 
ive gold, one of which was set Avith twelve 
emeralds, several gold rings, ear-rings, 
and bracelets containing precious stones, 
gilt pins for the hair, and chests of fine 
linen and cloths of gold. One of these 
upper rooms contained eighteen skeletons 
of men, women, and children. The total 
number of skeletons found in the bar- 
racks was sixty-three, a remarkable proof 
of the discipline of the Roman soldier, 
who knew that it was his duty to die at 
his post, and whose death in this instance 
was shared by those who were dearer to 
him than life itself. 

RELICS FROM THE RUINS. 

But we have not time to carry the 
reader further through these interesting 
ruins, which abound everywhere in evi- 
dences of the highest interest in architec- 
ture, arts, sculpture, and painting, thou- 
sands of the first specimens of which are 
to be found in the Museo Borbonico, in 
Naples, contained in about one hundred 
rooms, which occupied a whole day in 
giving to them only a cursory examina- 
tion. The marble and bronze statuary 
exhibits a very high state of art, whilst 
statues of the heathen goddesses are re- 
markable for their historical interest. 
This museum has always been regarded 
as the most interesting in the world, as 
remarked by an English writer in a work 
on the subject, for here we find the furni- 



ture, the ornaments, the gods, the statues, 
the busts, the utensils, the paintings, of 
a great people, whose city was over- 
thrown and Ijuried under thick ashes 
almost two thousand years ago ; their 
books, their musical instruments, even 
their bread and their baked fruits, in their 
pristine form, only blackened by the ac- 
tion of fire, are to be seen. In contem- 
plating these, we retrace with a sort of 
fascination all their habits and customs, 
looking with double interest on such as 
assimilate with those of our own day, 
thus in idea connecting ourselves with 
them ; and we dwell upon the varied ob- 
jects presented to our view, all of which 
are curious and many beautiful, with 
sensations so lively, so real, that we feel 
as if the people all lived, still were among 
us. 

ASCENT OP VESUVIUS VIEW OF THE 

MOUNTAIN BY NIGHT. 

Naples, July, 1873. 
Having finished our examination of 
Pompeii about four o'clock, we passed 
out of the Herculaneum Gate, and were 
met by one of the Vesuvius guides, who 
proposed that we should make the ascent 
of the mountain, which we finally con- 
cluded to undertake, although consid- 
erably f\itigued by the excursions of the 
day. We will therefore, whilst the awful 
grandeur of the scene and the incidents 
of our excursion are fresh on the mind, 
endeavor to give some idea of this really 
indescribable and most interesting event 
of our wanderings in foreign lands. 

ascent of VESUVIUS. 

AVe think it may be safely asserted that 
no one who has not ascended Mount Ve- 
suvius can have the faintest idea of this 
wondrous mountain. Looking at it from 
Naples, reading all the numerous wbrks 
and descriptions that have been published, 
viewing it in engravings and paintings, 
or even standing near its base and scan- 
ning its mighty proportions, impress the 
mind with but a comparatively insignifi- 
cant estimation of the reality. 

Thus it was that, standing at the gates 
of Pompeii, we readily assented to the 
proposition of a guide to make the ascent, 
and, having bargained with him for horses 
and his services, we were soon in the sad- 
dle and prepared to start. A mountaineer 
accompanied each of the six horses, hold- 
ing on to their tails with one hand 
and jfoading them on with heavy sticks 
which they carried in the other. AVe 
had only engaged the services of one 



i 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



203 



guide, and were rather surprised to find 
seven men with us, but concluded that 
they were accompanying us to attend to 
the horses. 

We moved along at a brisk gallop 
through the vineyards and villages on 
the side of the mountain for fully an 
hour, the air redolent with orange-blos- 
soms. Throngs of Italian villagers flocked 
out to see us pass, attracted by the yell- 
ing and screaming of the guides, with 
which they accompanied every stroke of 
their sticks on the b.acks of the horses. 
The ascent is now seldom made from the 
Pompeii side, which is the opposite to 
that which faces Naples, and our ap- 
pearance among these quiet villagers at 
this late hour in the evening appeared to 
be quite an event. We, however, desired 
to see the mountain at night, and, having 
only a foint conception of the reality of 
the undertaking, determined to push on 
to its accomplishment, though at the end 
of the first hour's ride we felt some fore- 
bodings of a rather unpleasant adven- 
ture. 

After riding an hour and a half, the 
distance being not less than eight miles, 
and the roads rather circuitous, we passed 
beyond the bounds of cultivation, and 
emerged on the barren desert of black 
ashes and lava that intervenes between 
the cone and the habitations of the vil- 
lagers. The speed of the horses was now 
checked to a rapid walk by the deepness 
of the ashes, which was like walking in 
snow a foot deep, but the men still 
goaded the beasts on and on up the base 
of the cone. The roughness of the road, 
and the irregular gait of the horses, added 
to the fatigues of the early part of the 
day, had rendered those of us who were 
unaccustomed to this species of locomo- 
tion in bad condition for the labors yet 
to be performed. 

VIEW FROM THE BASE OF THE CONE. 

When leaving Pompeii, with Vesuvius 
looming up immediately before us, we 
had no conception of the distance we 
really were from its summit. It seemed 
at the farthest not more than three miles, 
but after nearly two hours' hard riding 
we had only reached the base of the cone. 
True, the road we came was not direct, 
but it was evident that we had traveled 
fully five miles in a direct line, and were 
far from the accomplishment of our pur- 
pose. On looking upward, after dis- 
mounting from our horses, we were fully 
impressed with the magnitude of the un- 
dertaking, whilst a look in the direction 



over which we had traveled showed the 
immense altitude we had already attained. 
The sun was just setting, and the scene 
was most magnificent. On the right was 
spread out before us the beautiful bay of 
]\aples, with the bleak mountains of the 
island of Capri looming up from its 
bosom, and the villages of Castellamare, 
Torre dell' Annunziata, and Sorrento, lin- 
ing its eastern shores. Directly in front 
of us were the ruins of Pompeii, and the 
villages and vineyards through which 
we had passed like so many JohnGilpins 
an hour before. To our left were the 
towns of Ottajano, Palma, and Somma, 
with a host of intervening villages, on all 
of which the setting sun was shedding 
its brightest rays, imparting a brilliant 
and glowing aspect to the whole land- 
scape. On the extreme right we gained 
a slight view of Naples, but it was dimmed 
by an immense thunder-cloud, which was 
then pouring out torrents of rain, whilst 
all was bright and beautiful in other 
quarters of the heavens. Immediately 
at our feet, and still throwing out strong 
fumes of sulphur and covering the ashes 
all around us with particles of brimstone, 
was the long-extinct crater that destroyed 
Pompeii and Ilerculaneum eighteen hun- 
dred years ago. It has been filled up 
long since with lava from the great 
craters above, but still has a vent for its 
hidden fires through this immense mass 
of ashes and scoria. W^hilst viewing the 
scene before us, it was necessary to 
breathe through our handkerchiefs to 
escape the stilling atmosphere by which 
we were surrounded. 

ASCENT OF THE CONE. 

Having arrived at the foot of the cone, 
the immense ascent yet to overcome, at 
least one mile up a steep bank of black 
ashes, resembling coarse sand, seemed a 
feat that we were scarcely competent to 
accomplish. It now became apparent 
why six men had accompanied us, hold- 
ing on to the tails of our horses. They 
now each drew forth ropes with nooses 
at the ends, and proposed to draw us 
up to the top of the crater for twelve 
carlini each. We refused their proposi- 
tion on account of its enormity, and 
started off, declaring our ability to do 
without their aid, when they commenced 
to lessen their demand, and we finally, 
when almost worn down, accepted their 
proposition at five carlini each (about 
forty cents). Fifty minutes of hard 
climbing, considerably assisted by the 
ropes of our guides, and by taking sev- 



204 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



era! rests on lumps of lava encountered 
by the way, enabled us to reach the sum- 
mit of the mountain, so fatigued that 
some minutes' rest, occupied in viewing 
the magnificence of the scene spread be- 
fore us at every point of the compass, 
was necessary before approaching the 
crater. The mass of lava on which we 
were sitting, although only slightly warm 
to the touch, we found, by the insertion 
of a stick in a fissure at our feet, to be 
resting on a bed of molten fire. As soon 
as the stick was inserted to the depth of 
not over ten inches, a bright flame fol- 
lowed it up, the same as if it had been 
inserted in a coal-fire. We lit our cigars 
thus from the fire of the mountain, and 
then proceeded several hundred yards 
over a level but rugged plain of lava full 
of deep cracks and chasms glowing with 
fire, towards the smaller of the two cra- 
ters on its summit. 

THE CRATERS. 

"We almost despair of being able to 
convey to the reader any adequate idea 
of the scene which now engaged our at- 
tention. We walked on amid fumes of 
sulphur and heated air, for about fifty 
paces, when we reached the edge of the 
crater, from the far side of which a heavy 
volume of smoke was arising. On the 
side towards us we could look down about 
one hundred and fifty feet, beyond which 
the view was dimmed by the smoke. It 
was like looking down a deep precipice, 
the wall of that side of the crater being 
as smooth and horizontal as if built of 
stone. After viewing the scene for a few 
minutes we hurled down some large pieces 
of lava, which we could hear striking in 
their descent several seconds after they 
had disappeared from the line of vision. 
Immediately after a dense volume of 
smoke would arise, filling the whole cra- 
ter, evidently caused by the contact of 
these pieces of rock with the molten lava 
at its extreme depth. This crater is about 
a half-mile in circumference, though its 
extent is not discernible from either side, 
on account of the volume of smoke con- 
fetantly pouring out of it. 

About one hundred yards to the right 
we reached the largest crater, which, at 
its last measurement, was ascertained to 
be two miles in circumference, though the 
mountain is undergoing such changes from 
the effect of the volcanic action below,some- 
times upheaving its summit, and at other 
times enlarging or diminishing the area 
of the craters, that the precise measure- 
ment is not known at the present time. 



Owing to the dense clouds of smoke ris- 
ing, we could not obtain a full view of the 
awful depth, from which flashes of fire, 
visible through the vapor, became more 
and more distinct as the sun receded and 
darkness set in. We threw a large piece 
of lava into this crater also, which was 
instantly succeeded by a dense volume 
of black smoke, heavily charged with 
ashes, rising immediately in our faces, 
and involving us for a moment in almost 
utter darkness, compelling us to make a 
hasty retreat, the smoke following us 
with a rapidity that convinced us we 
were tampering with too mighty an en- 
gine of destruction to be trifled with. 

A NIGHT SCENE. 

Night having now fully set in, the aw- 
ful grandeur of the scene was momenta- 
rily increased. Through the fissures in 
the beds of lava under our feet the mol- 
ten fire was everywhere visible, whilst the 
gleams of light from the raging element 
at the bottom of the craters were reflected 
on the vapors rising above, having the 
appearance of emitting smoke and flame. 
Occasionally there were flashes resem- 
bling lightning, occasioned by the ignition 
of the gases constantly arising from its 
extreme depth. The elevation at which 
we were standing is four thousand feet 
above the level of the ocean, and with 
the moon brightly shining, and the sur- 
roundings that we have attempteil to 
describe, some faint idea of the reality 
may possibly be formed by those who 
may read this description. 

LAVA AND ASHES. 

The streams of lava and stones and 
ashes that have in years past been vom- 
ited forth from this mountain have 
caused the ocean to recede fully a mile 
from its ancient shore-line as defined in 
the days of Pompeii, whilst on the inland 
side there is no doubt that the whole sur- 
face of the earth is now thirty to fifty 
feet above the level of the streets of that 
unfortunate city, all being one mass of 
lava and cinders. The eruption of 1871 
threw out a stream of lava half a mile 
in breadth and eighteen to thirty feet 
deep, which in eight days reached a dis- 
tance of nine miles from the point of issue. 
It swept through the richest vineyards, 
destroyed hundreds of acres of cultivated 
lands, and injured or destroyed about 
eight hundred houses. During a similar 
eruption in 1834, several persons were 
killed whilst venturing on the mountain, 
among whom was Charles Carroll Bayard, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



205 



a midshipman from on board the United 
.States frigate Independence, whose monu- 
ment we saw in the Protestant burying- 
ffi-ound. Some idea may also be had of 
the amount of ashes thrown out by these 
eru(itions by viewing the ruins of Pimipeii, 
which city was so thoroughly buried by 
ashes alone that its site was unknown 
for seventeen hundred years. During 
the eruption of 1707, the crater ejected 
over Naples, across the broad bay in- 
tervening, a shower of ashes of such 
density that the rays of the sun were 
intercepted and the city was involved in 
darkness like that of midnight. It was 
impossible to recognize either persons or 
objects in the streets, and those who ven- 
tured abroad without torches were obliged 
to return home. Every part of the city 
resounded Avith the shrieks of women and 
children. The magistrates and clergy 
carried the relics of St. Januarius in pro- 
cession to Porta Capuana, and all the 
churches were crowded with people who 
desired to spend a night of so much terror 
in devotion and supplication. The city 
and suburbs were covered with ashes to 
the depth of nearly three feet. It would 
pi'obably be no exaggeration to say that 
one slight eruption of a few days' dura- 
tion would furnish material sufficient to 
fill up the basin at Baltimore, from Light 
Street to Fort jMcIIenry, according to the 
plan of Dr. Buckler, without the use of 
pick or spade. 

THE DESCENT. 

It being now past eight o'clock, we 
concluded that it was time to commence 
our descent. Most fortunately, the moon 
was shining brightly. We approached 
the edge of the cone, each of us having 
hold of the arm of one of the guides, and 
commenced to move slowly down the 
steep declivity. We had made but a few 
steps before the steepness forced us to 
move with more rapiditj', and we flew 
down through the deep black ashes, 
planting our heels in it, and sliding along 
with a rapidity that astonished us. The 
w^hole descent to where our horses were 
stationed was not less than a mile, which 
was accomplished in less than five min- 
utes, where we arrived in a fume of 
perspiration and breathless from exertion. 
AVe have often laughed at the humorous 
lithographs in the windows representing 
the way this descent is accomplished, 
and thought they were exaggerations, but 
we are now prepared to vouch for the 
truthfulness and accuracy of the repre- 
sentation. When females are of the party 



the scene must be still more ludicrous, as 
they are sometimes carried up by the 
guides, but must always make their own 
descent. Crinoline must be a troublesome 
article in such an adventure. 

Our horses had remained where we 
left them on the bleak desert, each tied 
by a rope to a lump of lava, and after a 
few moments' rest we were again in our 
saddles, and a rapid drive through vil- 
lages, vineyards, and cottages brought us 
in an hour and a half to the town of 
Torre dell' xVnnunziata, where we had 
directed our carriage to proceed and 
wait for us. Here we settled with our 
guides, and, as usual with all Italians we 
have yet encountered, although paying 
them twenty-five per cent, more than the 
price agreed upon, all were dissatisfied, 
and grumbled, begged, and growled until 
we jumped into our carriage and left 
them jabbering away in Italian, pretend- 
ing to be in a state of tremendous ex- 
citement. A drive of an hour and a half 
brought us to our hotel in Naples, sore 
and weary, but highly delighted with our 
trip. We were soon wrapped too soundly 
in slumber to dream either of craters or 
chasms. 

We omitted to mention that on our way 
ddwn the mountain we stopped at one of 
the vil'ages and procured several bottles 
of wine, which, in our exhausted condi- 
tion, seemed to be the most delicious 
beverage that mortal ever partook of. As 
we drove off, a general cjuarrel broke out 
between several of our guides and the 
villagers, the former demanding part of 
the proceeds of the sale for bringing the 
fish to their net. Such a clatter of 
tongues, male and female, could scarcely 
be heard anywhere else than in Italy. 



VESUVIUS IN ERUPTION. 

Our first visit to Vesuvius was in the 
year 1859, when it was in partial erup- 
tion, with rather a steady stream of lava 
flowing from the side of the mountain at 
the base of the cone. As it was a most 
interesting spectacle, we here insert the 
account then given, in a letter to the 
Avierican^ of 

THE FLOWING LAVA. 

On a Saturday afternoon, being desirous 
of closely viewing the stream of lava 
which we had watched for several nights 
from our hotel-window as it flowed down 
the side of the mountain, looking like a 
torrent of fire," we joined a party who 



206 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



were about making the ascent from the 
Naples side. We intended to stop at the 
Hermitage, but on reaching that point 
concluded to keep on to the crater, and 
view the lava after night had set in, on 
our return. 

AVe took horses at Resina, situated at 
the base of the mountain, at a quarter 
before three o'clock, and after a steady 
ride of three hours and a half over the 
fields of lava of former years, each of 
which was pointed out by our guide as 
we passed them, reached the base of the 
cone at a quarter-past six o'clock, when 
we commenced the ascent on foot. The 
ascent of the cone is at an angle of about 
fifty degrees, and its base is about seven 
miles in circumference. The time required 
to ascend, including two stoppages to rest 
of three or four minutes each, was fifty 
minutes, the ascent from the level where 
we left our horses being nearly one mile. 
It thus required nearly five hours to make 
the ascent on the Naples side, as we were 
compelled, on account of the lava having 
crossed the new carriage-road, to take the 
old horse-track, about two miles of which 
winds through a deep gorge in the old 
lava just wide enough to afford a footing 
for our horses in single file. 

SCENE ON THE SUMMIT. 

On reaching the summit our guide was 

in ecstasies, on account of the aspect of 

the craters, and assured us that we were 

most fortunate to have ascended at such 

a time. We, however, felt anything but 

,o-i'atItied, and commenced to beat a hasty 
'^ ... « • ^ 

retreat, anticipating a general eruption. 

Large masses of rock were crumbling 
and falling into the crater from its sides, 
causing a noise like heavy thunder, and 
as each mass fell clouds of black smoke 
would arise, almost shutting out the light 
of day, mingled with gases and vapors, 
flying up a thousand feet over our heads, 
with a hissing nuise like the escape of 
steam from a boiler. The situation was 
terrific, but our guide assured us there 
was no danger, and finally persuaded us 
to approach through the clouds of sul- 
phurous smoke and look down into the 
awful chasm that j^awned at our feet, 
from which came terrific reports of sub- 
terranean thunder, which was declared 
by an English traveler who accompanied 
us to remind him of the Rev. Mr. Spur- 
geon's vivid description of the "gates of 
hell." The rocks were still crumbling 
and falling, and flashes of flame filled the 
whole area of the crater, at times render- 



ing the scene most emphatically diaboli- 
cal. The commotion at the bottom of 
the crater evidently had a decided effect 
on the whole top of the cone, which is 
nearly level, and about five miles in cir- 
cumference, though when viewed from 
Naples it has the appearance of termi- 
nating in a point. It caused the sulphu- 
rous fumes to pour forth with increased 
volume from the cracks and crevices in 
the broken lava on which we were walk- 
ing, looking into which, scarcely a foot 
under our feet, we could see the molten 
fire which sent up a brisk flame whenever 
we inserted the ends of our walking- 
staffs. 

We remained on the top of the moun- 
tain, roasting eggs in the crevices of the 
hardened lava, and partaking of wine and 
refreshments, until eight o'clock, Avhen, 
night having full}'- set in, we commenced 
our descent. It was an amusing scene to 
see some twenty or thirty persons slip- 
ping, sliding, and sometimes losing their 
foothold, rolling in the deep ashes that 
form the sides of the cone, all going 
down with a rapidity which accomplished 
in five minutes a distance that had taken 
us nearly an hour to ascend. At the foot 
of the cone our horses were waiting, and 
an hour's ride down through the dark 
heaps of lava, twisted and piled up in 
every conceivable shape, made to appear 
more desolate and dreary in the gloom 
of night, over which a horse unaccus- 
tomed to the track would have broken his 
own neck as well as that of his rider, 
brought us to the " Hermitage," Avhere 
we dismounted to view the running lava 
breaking out from the side of the moun- 
tain a few hundred yards above this rest- 
ing-place. 

A STARTLING ADVENTURE. 

Our horses were taken around about 
two miles below to meet us, and we 
started on foot over the fields of newly- 
formed lava, the surface of which had 
cooled, but through the cracks and chasms 
under our feet the stream of molten lava 
from the mountain could be distinctly 
seen moving slowly down, whilst at some 
points it passed up over the surface in a 
stream about a yard wide and thirty feet 
in length, and then disappeared again 
under the hard incrustation that had 
formed beyond. We stopped at one of 
these openings, and our guide, with the 
end of his staff, drew out some particles 
of the molten lava and pressed copper 
coins into it, which we preserved as me- 
mentos of our visit. A silver coin in- 



k 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



207 



serted in the lava immediately melted, so 
great was its heat. 

Having had only a distant view of this 
flowing lava, we thought that it was only 
some fifteen feet thick, and the surface 
only a few hundred feet wide. Our sur- 
prise can, therefore, be imagined when 
we found the stream from a half to three- 
quarters of a niilo in width, and two 
miles in length, and its thickness vary- 
ing from thirty to two hundred feet, 
according to the inequalities of the sur- 
face. It had filled up and leveled moun- 
tain-gorges half a mile in width and 
from one hundred to two hundred feet in 
depth, and was gradually advancing in 
this great bulk about thirty feet every 
twenty-four hours. 

A FIERY EXPERIENCE. 

We followed our guide about two miles 
over the siu-face of this field of lava, 
•whilst under our feet the molten stream 
was flowing downward, amid a heated 
atmosphere in which it was difficult to 
exist, though there was an absence of the 
sulphurous smell that had almost stifled 
us at the crater. As we approached the 
terminus of the stream the heat became 
gradually more intense, so much so that 
we protested against proceeding any far- 
ther, and some of our party actually 
started back in horror at the scene before 
us. So great was the heat that our shoes 
and clothing were almost ready to ignite, 
whilst the temperature of the atmosphere 
was momentarily increasing in intensity, 
so that it became difficult to breathe. We 
were surrounded on every side by open- 
ings in the hardened and rugged lava, 
through Avhich the stream of molten fire 
was passing down to the terminus of the 
stream with increased velocity. We 
rated the guide soundly for leading us 
into such a dangerous and fearful local- 
ity, whilst he persisted that there was 
nothing to fear, and that it was the only 
route that he could take, urging us to fol- 
low him through it as rapidly as possible, 
and we would be off the lava in a few 
minutes. Not wishing to retrace our 
steps over such difficulties as our curiosity 
had already brought us into, we mustered 
up courage to follow, the heat being too 
intense for debate. On we went in In- 
dian file, following our guide over the 
rough and heated surface, at times with 
a stream of fire on each side of us, jump- 
ing from one rough and darkened surface 
to anoth(!r, and avoiding as best we could 
the chasms of fire that opened on every 
side. The end of the stream was really 



like a precipice of fire, fully thirty feet 
high, the fiery streams of molten lava 
oozing through from all parts of its hard- 
ened surface. Down this precipice we 
were compelled to descend, stepping care- 
fully to avoid touching the red-hot lava 
oozing out of every crevice on the sur- 
face. In a few minutes we had the grat- 
ification of once more standing on the 
solid rock of the mountain-side, whilst 
the head of the stream was immediately 
before us, moving steadily on into a deep 
mountain-gorge, in which a flourishing 
vineyard was gradually being swallowed 
up and buried a hundred feet under the 
advancing wall of fire. 

As we stood here and looked back over 
the path by which we had descended, we 
more fully appreciated the dangers we 
had encountered. We could distinctly 
perceive the moving mass of undercur- 
rent through the crevices, and I am sure 
that not one of us would have retraced his 
steps for any amount of money. 

At the terminus of the lava-stream we 
found our Irorses waiting for us, they 
having been taken around from the Her- 
mitage ; and, after a few moments spent 
in taking another look at the grand and 
impressive scene, we remounted and pro- 
ceeded to Resina, which we reached at 
eleven o'clock, after an hour's ride, hav- 
ing consumed more than eight hours in 
our excursion on the mountain. Here 
our carriage was waiting for us, and an 
hour's ride brought us to our hotel in 
Naples, in good condition for a sound 
night's sleep, though some of us were dis- 
turbed by dreams of no very pleasing 
character. 

CHARACTER OF THE LAVA-FLOW. 

In order that the reader may better 
understand the characteristics of this flow 
of lava, it may be proper to state that 
when the mouths of the large crater are 
so nari'owed by accumulated matter as to 
be unequal to the discharge of the lava 
collected in their central channels, lateral 
openings are formed, which, being nearer 
the source of heat, discharge the lava in 
a state of much greater liquidity than 
from the great craters. These lava-cu - 
rents have heretofore ceased to flow in 
twenty or thirty days, but the present one 
has flowed slowly but steadily for nearly 
a year. The cohesion of a lava-current, 
which exceeds that of any other sub- 
stance known, causes it to move slowly 
in the form of a tall ridge until it enters 
a mountain-gorge, which it fills up and 
passes on, occasionally diverging to the 



208 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



right or left, and spreading over immense 
surfaces, but not exceeding twenty to 
thirty feet in thickness when it passes 
over a level or descending plain. The 
surface gradually loses its fluid state as 
it becomes cooled by the external air, 
cracks into innumerable heavy fragments, 
and this scoria, being a bad conductor of 
heat, enables the central portion of the 
mass to retain its fluid state, whilst at 
the same time it renders it possible to 
cross the current as it flows. Thus it 
was that we were enabled to perform this 
excursion over the flowing lava. It is a 
trip, however, that we would not fancy 
taking a second time. 

CASTLE OF ST. ELMO. 

We took a drive this evening to visit 
the Castle of St. Elmo, and the Carthusian 
monastery connected with it, which loom 
up almost from the heart of the city. 
They are erected on the top of a mountain 
which rises almost abruptly amidst the 
surrounding houses to the height of near- 
ly one thousand feet. The .view from the 
balcony of San Martino is of surpassing 
beauty, and is regarded as unrivaled, on 
account of the combination of natural at- 
tractions and historical associations. The 
eye embraces in one view the whole city 
of Naples, with the head of the bay, and 
Mounts Vesuvius and Somma in the dis- 
tance. On the right it follows the curve 
of the Bay of Naples to the Bays of Baia3 
and Miseno, with Nisita, Pozzuoli, and 
the distant islands ; on the left it sweeps 
along the shore of Portici, Resina, Torre 
del Greco, and Torre dell' Annunziata at 
the base of Vesuvius. In another direc- 
tion we see Capodimonte and the rich 
plains of the Neapolitan Campagna, whilst 
in the distance may be recognized Monte 
Triafale, backed by the chain of the Ap- 
ennines, along which, as they advance 
towards the sea, may be distinguished the 
mountains of Gragnano, Vico, Sorrento, 
and Massa. The monastery was the place 
of refuge of the Pope during his exile from 
Rome in the year 1849. The Castle of 
St. Elmo stands immediately in front of 
it, from which, down under the city, a 
subterranean passage leads to the palace. 
On the top of the ridge, not far from the 
monastery, is the tomb of Virgil. 

THE EXAGGERATIONS OF ITALY. 

The observant traveler cannot fail to 
come to the conclusion that there is no 
country in the world which has reaped 
so much benefit from systematic exag- 
geration as Italy. Its " magnificent skies," 



its " beautiful women," its " glorious cli- 
mate," and its " indescribable landscapes" 
are nearly all to a consideraljle extent 
fictions of the imagination. English 
men, who are accustomed to look at the 
sky through a fog or a haze of smoke, 
write heme of the wondrous beauty 
of an Italian sky ; and artists, whose 
business it is to exaggerate and embel- 
lish, labor to invest this region of fine 
marble and ancient models of art with 
all the romance possible. But of all the 
descriptions with regard to Italy, that is 
most erroneous which claims beauty of 
form or feature, grace or dignity of car- 
riage, or any one of those characteristics 
which the rest of the world consider as 
essential to female beauty, for its women. 
The number of decidedly homely women 
in Italy is in reality unparalleled. Its 
old women are shriveled up like Mac- 
beth's witches ; the middle-aged women 
are wrinkled and shapeless ; and the 
young women have lost all traces of girl- 
hood at twenty. The female children are 
bright and handsome, but at eighteen 
you seldom see a youthful countenance. 
They have fine hair, sharp black eyes, 
and, when animated by mirth or conver- 
sation, expressive features ; but when in 
repose they have an angry and forbidding 
aspect. Some of them would make good- 
looking men if they had whiskers ; but 
there is an entire absence of that female 
modesty and sweetness which in America 
are regarded as essential to female beauty. 

In clear weather the sky is undoubt- 
edly beautiful, but not more so than in 
America. The sunsets are fine, and the 
rays of the moon reflected from the blue 
waters of the Mediterranean will at times 
attract the attention by their brilliancy, 
and are wonderful in the befogged eyes 
of the English traveler ; but seen through 
"American spectacles" there is nothing 
novel or unusual in the scene. They ad- 
mire these beauties of nature here as 
they do at home, but all who come here 
expecting to find a brighter sunshine, a 
more brilliant sky, or a moonlight more 
lovely than they have been accustomed 
to at home, will be sure to be disap- 
pointed. 

The mountain scenery is very fine, 
owing principally to the excessive verdure, 
and the cultivation and habitation of their 
rocky ledges, but the level portions of the 
country are the most dreary imaginable. 
The twenty-four miles between Salerno 
and Paestum are as uninteresting as a joui*- 
ney on an American prairie. The hun- 
dred and seventy miles between Rome 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



209 



and Naples have a few fine spots ; but the 
plains are desert wastes, very inattractive 
to the eye, and the people the most dirty 
and squalid in appearance that the civil- 
ized world can produce. The towns 
through which we passed, with hut few 
exceptions, were noticeable only for their 
filth and stench, their beggars and their 
fleas. Nowhere in Southern Italy have 
we seen the neat country-houses, the clean 
and tidy children, or any of those evi- 
dences of rural comfort and happiness 
which are so usual among the agricultur- 
ists on our side of the Atlantic. Indeed, 
we had almost said that a woman or 
child with a clean face or clean clothing 
might be regarded as a curiosity outside 
of the cities of Rome and Naples, and even 
there they were rarities among those who 
labor in any way for a livelihood. Clean- 
liness, in brief, is not here regarded as 
akin to godliness, as those who are habitu- 
ally the most dirty seem to be the most 
strictly observant of religious duties, 
crowds of whom are to be found kneeling 
in the churches at all hours of the day. 

There is but little strong liquor drunk 
in Italy, and we have not seen a drunken 
man, or the drinking of anything stronger 
than wine. There are wine-shops in 
abundance, but no regular taverns with 
bars. The respectable portion of the popu- 
lation assemble in the coS"ee-houses, and 
smoke and drink wine and coffee in the 
evening, but are all very aljstemious. 
The lower classes have also places of 
similar resort, where they eat macaroni 
and boiled snails, and drink poor wine; 
but necessity compels moderation even in 
this light refreshment. 

Among the articles we saw for sale at 
one of the markets yesterday morning 
was a two-bushel-basket full of stumps of 
cigars, which are bought by the poorer 
classes for smoking-tobacco. Boys are 
engaged hunting around the streets night 
and day for these '' old soldiers,'' and at 
night they carry lamps with them to as- 
sist their vision. 

LIQUEFACTION OF THE BLOOD OF SAN GEN- 
NARO. 

The present lack of religious demon- 
strations in Naples is in striking contrast 
with the constant street ceremonials Avhich 
were in progress during our visit some 
twelve years ago, when we witnessed the 
following scene, as described in a letter 
to the Baltimore American at the time. 

Learning that the semi-annual miracle 
of the liquefaction of the blood of San 
Gennaro was to take place on Saturday, 
14 



being the last day of the octave of the 
demonstration, we repaired at an early 
hour in the morning to the Church of 
Santa Restituta. The crowd was so 
great that it was with difficulty we could 
gain an entrance. This ceremony of 
liquefaction is the greatest religious fes- 
tival in the kingdom, and such is the im- 
portance attached to it by the ardent 
Neapolitans that all the conquerors of 
the city have considered it a necessary 
piece of state policy to respect it. 

Before proceeding to give an account 
of the ceremony, we will explain what is 
meant by the liquefaction. In the right 
aisle of the Church of Santa Restituta 
is the Chapel of San Gennaro, in which 
are preserved two phials said to contain 
the blood of the saint. The ceremony of 
liquefaction takes place twice in a year, 
and is each time repeated for eight suc- 
cessive days. The tradition of the church 
represents that when St. Gennaro, or 
Januarius, as the name is sometimes given, 
was exposed to be devoured by lions in 
the amphitheatre of Pozzuoli, the ani- 
mals prostrated themselves before him 
and became tame. This miracle is said 
to have converted so many to Christianity 
that Dracontius ordered the saint to be 
decapitated, which sentence was executed 
at Solfatara in the year 305. The body 
was buried at Pozzuoli until the time of 
Constantine, when it was removed to 
Naples and deposited in the Church of 
San Gennaro. At the time of this re- 
moval a woman who is said to have col- 
lected the blood with a sponge at the period 
of the martyrdom, took it in two bottles 
to St. Severus, the bishop, in whose 
hands it is said to have immediately 
melted. The iron tabernacle which con- 
tains the phials is secured by two bolts, 
one key being kept by the municipal au- 
thorities, and the other by the archbishop, 
and is only opened in the presence of the 
people. 

The ceremony of the liquefaction com- 
menced on Saturday in the Church of 
Santa Chiara, from whence after mass an 
immense procession, with bands of music, 
bishops, priests, and soldiers, bearing cru- 
cifixes, banners, and candles, proceeded 
with the phials of blood to the cathedral. 
This procession was three-quarters of 
a mile long. In the line were soldiers 
bearing large silver statues of saints, and 
the whole scene was one of the most im- 
posing spectacles we ever witnessed. 

At the cathedral, some time before the 
ceremonies commenced, a number of old 
women of the lower orders, who claim 



210 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



to be the descendants of Saint Januarius, 
collected around the balustrade of the 
altar, exhibiting the most wild and un- 
controllalile excitement. Some of these 
•women wore very old, with countenances 
shriveled and wrinkled beyond anything 
in the form of humanity. Immediately 
after the first mass was finished they 
commenced a fearful howl, repeating to 
the full ■extent of their lungs, in a hoarse 
and croaking voice, Paternosters, Aves, 
and Credos. When the saint delays the 
liquefaction too long, they even claim the 
right and often do heap imprecations with 
all the fervency that usually accompanies 
their prayers. 

The relics were exposed in one of the 
side-chapels, called the Chapel of St. 
Gennaro, which was magnificently deco- 
rated, the altar being brilliant with gold 
ornaments, diamonds, and precious stones. 
The face of the altar is of massive silver, 
ornamented with statues in bas-relief, re- 
presenting the history of Cardinal Ca- 
raffa's bringing back the head of the 
saint to Naples. All the dukes and 
princes were present in the robes of 
royalty ; and soldiers, with muskets and 
bayonets, were scattered throughout the 
immense edifice, their plumes waving 
over the heads of the people in every 
direction. The saint's head, with a rich 
mitre upon it, fixed on the statue of the 
saint, having an archbishop's mantle 
about the shoulders, and a rich collar of 
diamonds, and cross around the neck, 
was the first sight that attracted our at- 
tention. The bottles containing the 
blood, one of which appeared like pitch, 
clotted and hard in the glass, were then 
shown to the people, and turned upside 
down to prove that the blood in them was 
hard and solid. They were then placed 
at the side of the altar. One appeared 
like a smelling-bottle, and only had a 
mere stain of blood, whilst the other was 
larger, and seemed to hold enough to fill 
a wineglass. They were shovrn to the 
persons admitted within the balustrade, 
among Avhom were a considerable number 
of English Protestants. After being 
placed on the altar a glass case was put 
over them, through which they could be 
seen by all present. 

A series of masses was then commenced, 
at the conclusion of each of which the old 
women renewed their fearful and un- 
earthly howling, whilst the drums and 
trumpets joined in the discordant blast, 
until it was difficult to imagine such a 
horrible clamor to be intended for Chris- 
tian worship. These women seemed 



almost frantic with religious fervor, as 
also did the priests and a large portion 
of the people present, cries, screams, 
and sobbing pervading every part of the 
edifice. These masses were continued 
from nine o'clock in the morning until 
five o'clock in the afternoon, without ces- 
sation, except for another procession in 
the afternoon, during which thirty-five 
large solid silver statues of saints and 
martyrs were carried by the soldiers. 
At the conclusion of the procession the 
masses were again resumed with all the 
accompaniments of excitement and clamor 
that prevailed in the morning, without 
the desired liquefaction of the blood tak- 
ing place. At five o'clock the glass was 
again removed from the bottles, and the 
blood in the larger one was found to be 
as limpid as water, and was shown to the 
people amid the greatest rejoicing, the 
beating of drums, the clapping of hands, 
and the blasts of trumpets. The old 
women Avere perfectly wild with excite- 
ment, and many of them fell down ex- 
hausted, while the roar of cannon from 
the Castle of Elmo announced to the 
people outside that the miracle was con- 
summated. 

Wherever there was any number of 
English or Americans in the cathedral 
during the ceremony, soldiers were sta- 
tioned near them, with special instructions 
to allow no one to molest them. This 
rather surprised us, but on inquiry it was 
ascertained that on several occasions, 
when the liquefaction had not taken 
place as soon as was anticipated, the 
ignorant porti'on of the people had at- 
tacked the Protestants, under the belief 
that the presence of heretics had prevent- 
ed the accomplishment of the miracle. If 
the liquefaction takes place soon, it is re- 
garded as an evidence of happiness and 
prosperity to the country ; and if it is 
retarded, as indicative of trouble and evil 
to be anticipated. 

This miracle the Protestant spectators 
contend to be a piece of legerdemain, — 
that the bottles contain colored wax, to 
which heat is applied through the mai-ble 
altar-table on which they are placed dur- 
ing the progress of the masses. 

THE DEAD OF NAPLES. 

We spent an afternoon in visiting the 
great cemetery of Naples, in which the 
rich man and the poor man both find 
their last resting-places. The graves of 
the rich are distinguished by magnificent 
monuments, and a large number have 
miniature family chapels erected over the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



211 



remains of the dead, giving the ceme- 
tery at a distance the appearance of a 
beautiful country village. The poor, how- 
ever, are buried in as heathenish a manner 
as was ever practiced. There are three 
hundred and sixty-five vaults, each about 
twenty feet square, for the reception of 
the bodies of the poor. There is a chapel 
connected with these vaults, to which the 
dead poor are brouglit, where they are 
stripped of their clothing. At sunset 
they are brought out of the chapel, then 
stripped of every vestige of clothing, men, 
women, and children, the average being 
about thirty per day. The round slab 
fitting in the circular opening to the 
vault in use for the day is taken off, and 
the bodies dragged by the limbs to the 
aperture and thrown in head-foremost. 
They are lowered down by the heels, 
and swung backward and forward until a 
sufficient impetus is given to the bndy to 
make it fiiU into the corners of the vaults, 
where it strikes with a dull thud. We 
saw thirty-three bodies thus summarily 
disposed of, the clothing from wdiich was 
bundled np and carried off. Twelve 
months from this day this same vault Avill 
be opened again to receive a new deposit 
and more lime, and so on for every suc- 
cessive year, there being one vault for 
each day in the year. The custodian in 
attendance offered, for one carlino, to raise 
the stone from one of the vaults used the 
week previous, that wo might look in 
upon the horrid and brutal spectacle, 
— a favor which we decisively declined. 
These vaults, it is said, when opened on 
the second day after the bodies have been 
deposited in them, exhibit swarms of rats 
and other vermin devouring the flesh from 
the bones of the dead. 

THE FISHERMEN OF NAPLES. 

From daybreak in the morning until 
eight o'clock, the Bay of Naples is liter- 
ally covered with fishermen's boats, on- 
gaged in casting and drawing in their 
nets. We counted this morning over one 
hundred in front of our hotel. The fish 
they catch are small, and the number very 
limited, though the nets they put out are 
never less than a hundred feet in length. 
At eight o'clock they all disappear, but 
are again at their posts at sunset. They 
are an industrious, jolly set of men, but 
occasionally when the nets of one party 
get entangled with those of another the 
noise they make sounds very much like 
hard swearing. They are the lineal de- 
scendants of Masaniello, live on fish and 



macaroni, and carry themselves with the 
same careless ease and grace. 

P^STUM AND ITS RUINS ITALIAN 

SCENERY, ETC. 

Naples, July, 1873. 
The excursions around Naples are of 
the most attractive character, not only 
affording an opportunity to view the an- 
tiquities with which the country abounds, 
but to see the mode of living and the 
agricultural advancement of the Italian 
peasantry. There is no part of Italy that 
affords an equal.opportunity to judge of 
the claims of Italian scenery to the high 
encomiums which have been heaped upon 
it. 

EXCURSION TO AMALFI. 

On Thursday morning we started on a 
trip to Amalfi, which it had been arranged 
to visit in combination with Salerno and 
Passtum, the latter renowned over the 
world for its magnificent ruins. Taking 
the cars on the Naples and Salerno Rail- 
road, we arrived at La Cava, a flourishing 
town of thirteen thousand souls, and, 
proceeding to the Hotel de Londres, 
engaged a carriage to carry us direct to 
Amalfi. 

The railroad from Naples to La Cava 
passes mostly over a level plain along the 
sea-shore, abounding in towns and vil- 
lages, and mountains on the left of the 
road, including Vesuvius, which are cul- 
tivated in grapes, oranges, and lemons up 
as high as man can obtain a foothold. The 
line of villages along this road comprises a 
population of over one hundred thousand 
souls. Most of those nearest Naples are 
liable at any moment to be swept into 
non-existence by an eruption or an earth- 
quake ; but their proximity to the sea, 
the capital, and the rich lands that flank 
Vesuvius on all sides, must alwa3'^s attract 
a large population, notwithstanding its 
dangerous proximity. There is no land 
in Italy of equal fertility to the slopes 
of Vesuvius, the ashes and scoria, after a 
few years' exposure to the atmosphere, 
becoming decomposed, and formingadark, 
friable soil that is susceptible of the high- 
est cultivation. The people seem to have 
no fears ; they have been reared among 
the terrors of Vesuvius, and — 

" Wh(>re they dwell 
Their fathers dwelt nnd died, and shall awake; 
That love which binds Helvetia's niouiitiineer 
'Mid rocks and Aliiiiie snows, glows in lava hero." 

ITALIAN SCENERY. 

On leaving La Cava we proceeded at a 
rapid rate for about two miles, Avhen the 



212 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



turning of a precipitous point brought us 
directly on to the shores of the Mediterra- 
nean, -along which we proceeded for fifteen 
miles, over a turnpike road that has few 
equals in the world, considering the 
difficulties under which it has been con- 
structed and the substantial and scientific 
manner in which it has been engineered. 
A few years back there was no access to 
Amalfi except by pack-mules, as was the 
case with all the numerous towns and 
villages on the coast. The only site for a 
turnpike was along the sloj^es of the 
mountains which project into the sea; 
and here it has been hewn out of the solid 
rock, the bed of the road running from 
fifty to three hundred feet above the level 
of the sea, according as the projections 
of the mountain-gorges may have ren- 
dered it necessary. Throughout its entire 
length it is walled up with solid masonry 
on the sea-side, varying from ten to fifty 
feet in height, and forming a wall to 
the road about three feet above its bed. 
The mountains, which rise very precipi- 
tously from the sea, vary in height from 
seven hundred to one thousand feet, their 
bases projecting at times far out into the 
sea, and around these projections the road 
winds to such an extent that, though 
Amalfi is not more than seven miles from 
Sorrento in an air-line, the road is more 
than fifteen miles long. 

MOUNTAIN SCENERY. 

The attractions of a visit to Amalfi 
consist mainly in the magnificence of the 
mountain scenery along the entire route. 
The mountains tower five thousand feet 
overhead, and, although the ascent is so 
steep that they appear to the eye unap- 
proachable, their sides are dotted with 
white stone cottages, and the ledges al- 
most to their extreme summits are luxu- 
riant with orange- and lemon-groves and 
vineyards. Thus you have on one side 
the blue waves of the Mediterranean, and 
on the other, and sometimes down below 
the bed of the road, most vai-ied and at- 
tractive scenery, beautified with great 
skill and labor, and really startling the 
stranger at every turn ])y its varied at- 
tractions. The villages of the fishermen, 
some of them with several hundred in- 
habitants, dot every gorge in the moun- 
tain, every spot of land being brought 
into the richest cultivation around them. 

THE CITY OF AMALFI 

Amalfi, encircled and crowned by 
mountains, is at the mouth of a deep 
gorge, from which a torrent dashes into 



the ocean, driving numerous paper-mills, 
factories, etc., in its precipitous course 
through the town. Its churches, towers, 
and arcaded houses, grouped together in 
picturesque irregularity, are backed by 
precipices one thousand feet in height, of 
wild magnificence, justifying probably 
the assertion " that in no other nook of 
the earth's surface can the eye of man look 
upon a scene of more glorious natural beau- 
ties." On the extreme top of these preci- 
pices are located monasteries and churches, 
whilst the slopes of the contiguous moun- 
tains are terraced and cultivated as lemon- 
groves, the terraces being walled up in 
regular succession to an immense height. 

Every promontory on the road to Amalfi 
is made picturesque by the ruins of a mar- 
tello tower, at intervals of a quarter to a 
third of a mile apart ; every cove and 
beach is occupied by the boats and nets 
of fishermen, every ledge is covered with 
houses and vineyards, and every broader 
crag with a town. The town of Pasitano, 
perched on a pinnacle of rock, seven 
hundred feet above the ocean, is one 
of the most striking objects of the trip. 
After partaking of an excellent dinner, we 
returned in the cool of the evening to 
Sorrento, gladly availing ourselves of a 
second opportunity to view this most sin- 
gular and picturesque region of country. 

The people along the route seemed to 
be the most happy and prosperous that 
we have yet met with in Italy. There 
were but few soldiers to be seen, who are 
in such abundance everywhere else — very 
few beggars, and an absence of the dis- 
position to defraud and extort in their 
dealings with strangers that is a distin- 
guishing trait in other parts of Italy. 
The females looked healthy, and are hand- 
somer than the peasantry we have met 
with elsewhere, presenting, with their 
skirts barely reaching their knees, with 
neither stockings nor shoes, and loose 
bodices, a very novel appearance, especi- 
ally to the eyes of some of our bachelor 
companions. 

THE RUINS OF P^STUM. 

Returning from Amalfi, we stopped for 
the night in the city of Salerno, a pros- 
perous town on the Mediterranean, at the 
mouth of the Bay of Naples, with a popu- 
lation of thirty thousand souls. We 
spent a pleasant evening and night, and 
at seven o'clock on Friday morning 
started in a carriage for PjBstum, the 
distance being twenty-four miles, which 
was accomplished in less than three 
hours, so excellent are the roads and so 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



213 



rapid tho driving in all parts of Italy. 
The road, however, passes for the greater 
part of the way through a barren and un- 
healthy country. Of all the excursions 
from Naples, there is none presenting 
such historical interest as a visit to the 
ruins of Psestum, which are well-pre- 
served monuments of antiquity, exceed- 
ing in interest any to be found in Italy. 
Indeed, a journey to Southern Italy is not 
considered complete unless Paestum has 
been visited. 

The ruins of Psestum date back to four 
hundred years before Christ. The walls 
of the city, part of which are still stand- 
ing, are nearly three miles in circumfer- 
ence, and in many places twelve feet high. 
The arch of the eastern gateway, nearly 
fifty feet high, stands entire. 

THE TEMPLES OF P^ESTCM. 

The three magnificent temples stand as 
a record of the taste and architectural 
skill of the Grecians. The Temple of 
Neptune, the middle one of the three, 
one hundred and ninety-five feet long 
and seventy-eight feet broad, with its 
massive columns and entablature, stands 
now as firmly on its foundations as when 
first erected, nearly two thousand three 
hundred years ago, and appears as if it 
would stand for many ages yet, notwith- 
standing the rocking of earthquakes 
to which it has so often been subjected. 
Solidity, combined with simplicity and 
grace, distinguishes it from the other 
buildings. Not a single column is want- 
ing, and the entablature and pediments 
are nearly entire. 

The Basilica, the second of these ancient 
temples, has fifty columns, nine in the 
fronts, and sixteen in the flanks, exclusive 
of the angles. The interior is divided 
into two parts by a range of columns par- 
allel to the sides, of which only three 
remain. This division leads to the sup- 
position that it was a temple probably 
dedicated to two divinities. Its length 
is one hundred and seventy-nine feet, its 
breadth eighty feet, height of columns 
twenty-one feet. 

The Temple of Vesta is the smallest, 
and is nearest to the Salerno Gate. It 
has thirty-four columns, of which six are 
in the front, and nine in each flank, ex- 
clusive of the angles. It is one hundred, 
and seven feet in length, and forty-seven 
in breadth. 

''On entering the ruins of Paestum," 
says an English writer, " I felt all the re- 
ligion of the place ; I stood on the sacred 
ground ; I stood amazed at the long ob- 



scurity of its mighty ruins. Taking in 
view their immemorial antiquity, their 
astonishing preservation, their grandeur, 
their bold columnar elevation, at once 
massive and open, their severe simplicity 
of design, — taking, I say, all this into 
view, I do not hesitate to pronounce them 
the most impressive monuments that I 
ever beheld on earth." 

As you apiproach them from Salerno, 
passing over a wide expanse of level and 
dreai'y country, their huge dusky propor- 
tions can be seen two miles distant. Stand- 
ing alone amidst their mountain wilder- 
ness, without a vestige nigh of any power 
that could have reared them, they look 
absolutely supernatural. Their grandeur, 
their gloom, their majesty — there is noth- 
ing like them to be seen on this wide 
earth. 

We had prepared to partake of the 
lunch we had brought with us in the 
Temple of Neptune, but it commenced 
raining, and compelled us to retreat to 
the carriage. At three o'clock we started 
for La Cava, and arrived there at five 
o'clock in time to take the cars for Naples, 
thus, in an excursion of two days, visiting 
both Amalfi and Paestum. 

Naples, July, 1873. 

STREET-SCENES IN NAPLES. 

The Strada de Toledo is the principal 
street of Naples, and presents a medley 
of strange sights, which surprise all who 
pass for the first time through its tumultr 
uous confusion. Here is to be seen a 
miscellaneous throng of people whose life 
is spent in the open air and chiefly upon 
the streets. The scribe is seen busily in- 
diting letters at a table on the street- 
corners for the many persons who can 
neither read nor write ; by his side is a 
lemonade pagoda, and half the thorough- 
fare is occupied by the chestnut-roaster 
and the sausage-vendor, with their pans 
and dishes, frying their commodities over 
charcoal fires, — all combining to present 
a scene that has no equal elsewhere. The 
crowd on the Toledo is moving hither and 
thither without order or regularity, roll- 
ing up and down with its eddies and 
whirlpools, so that the stranger is lost in 
its confusion. In the midst of this vast 
concourse of horses, donkeys, and all 
grades of humanity, you are jostled 
against a money-changer's table, and 
tumbled over the bench of a shoemaker 
at work on the curb-stone, find yourself 
mixed up among the pots of a macaroni- 
stall, and escape behind the stench-emit- 
ting basket of a lazzarone. The street- 



214 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



noises are unparalleled. The people are 
shouting at the top of their voices, the 
innumerable donkeys are braying and 
screeching, the drivers are cracking their 
whips and scolding each other, and 
confusion is worse confounded by the 
occasional movement of soldiers and 
horsemen through the thronged thorough- 
fare, or the approach of a Church proces- 
sion, when every one within seeing or 
hearing distance is expected to kneel 
down in the street. 

Fortunately, carriage-riding in Naples 
is very cheap, provided you know how 
to manage the drivers. They are like 
this fraternity elsewhere, apt to take 
advantage of strangers. An Italian will 
ride from any one portion of the city to 
another for two carlini, about sixteen 
cents, and pays no more if there are two 
or three in company than he would for 
one. His whole family, to the number 
of six, in a double carriage, will be con- 
veyed five miles for three carlini. It is 
therefore cheaper to ride than to walk, 
and a drive through the Toledo at the 
slow pace that a crowded thoroughfare 
renders necessary is rather interesting 
and amusing. Notwithstanding all this 
medley of sights and sounds, the Toledo 
is a great street. The topography of the 
city is such that it is necessary to drive 
through its whole length in order to 
reach any other section of the city, and it 
must of course be necessarily thronged. 
Tunnels and openings and graded pave- 
ments have been made through the moun- 
tain-spurs that thus divide the city, which 
now greatly relieve it. 

Another of the great features of Naples 
is its donkeys. They may be numbered 
by tens of thousands. Every family 
seems to have its donkey, using him as a 
kind of errand-boy, in carrying home 
marketing, bundles, packages, coal, and 
supplies of water, all of which for drink- 
ing-]iurposes has to be either bought or 
Ijrought from one of the distant fountains. 
The strength and power of endurance of 
the useful animals are wonderful. The 
majority of them are about the size of a 
six-months-old calf, and we have seen 
them carrying loads on their pack-saddles 
sufficient for a horse, with a full-grown 
man perched upon the top of the load. 
Tall, heavy men, with their feet within 
two inches of the ground, may be seen 
riding them Avith saddles, trotting briskly 
along, in all sections of the city, and 
tlieir shrill and screeching bray may be 
heard at all hours. 

Oranges and lemons are almost as cheap 



here as potatoes in Baltimore. We can 
get them at a carlino a dozen, being at the 
rate of about three for two cents, but, as 
double price is generally charged a 
stranger for everything, probably an 
Italian buys them at a much lower rate. 
They grow in the open air in all the 
yards of the citj^ on trees as large as our 
peach-trees, Avhich are so loaded with 
fruit that it is necessary to support their 
branches by an arbor. 

The " ciiain-gang" so often read of in 
romances and flash stories is a reality 
here to an extent that is really surpris- 
ing. Those condemned to it wear red 
jackets and black skull-caps, and have a 
heavy chain, each link about six inches 
in length, extending from an iron girdle 
around the waist to an iron collar around 
the left ankle, and sometimes they are 
chained together in coujiles. They seem 
to be used principally as pack-horses for 
the military, and may be seen drawing 
wagons through the streets at all hours, 
each wagon under military guard with 
fixed bayonets. 



THE CITY OF ROME. 

Rome, July 19, 1873. 

Here we are at last in the Holy City, 
after nine hours' travel in the cars from 
Naples, neither suffering from heat nor 
dust on the route. 

The railroad-route from Naples to Rome 
is not by the old Appian Way, but through 
an entirely new section of country, with 
the Alps looming up to the right and the 
Apennines to the left. We passed the 
mountain-towns of Caserta, Capua, San 
Gei-mano, Yelletri, and Albano, the latter 
near Rome. All these cities are quite 
large, but are located either on the tops 
of mountains or high up their sides. The 
sites of all Italian towns have been cho- 
sen with an eye to their capacity for de- 
fense, and each have their fortifications, 
and most of them are walled cities. They 
are so much alike that when one is vis- 
ited there is no necessity for exploring 
farther among their narrow courts and 
steep thoroughfares. The whole country 
through which we passed, bordering on 
the Pontine Marshes, was in the highest 
state of cultivation, the principal crops 
being Indian corn and the grape. Not a 
foot of land apjieared to have escaped 
cultivation, showing a decided improve- 
ment since we last passed through this 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



215 



country. The railroad and Victor Em- 
manuel have done much for this section 
of Iialy, and certainly on God's green 
earth there existed no section of country 
in which there was more room for im- 
provement than this. 

THE ITALIANS AND THE PRIESTS. 

We have hitherto refrained from mak- 
ing any comment upon matters connected 
with religious affairs in Naples and along 
the line of the Mediterranean. It is, 
however, evident everywhere that the 
Roman Catholic clergy are no longer the 
rulers of Italy, and that were it not for 
the fear that they may possibly, by some 
shrewd management of the Jesuits, be 
able to regain their power, they would 
scarcely be tolerated. They are extremely 
humble, and scores of monks can be seen 
on the streets of Naples and Rome ])eg- 
ging for pennies. The men scowl upon 
them, but the women sympathize with 
theju, and aid them whenever they can. 
The shop-windows are filled with carica- 
tures of the Pope and cardinals, which 
the people seem to enjoy very much. 
One labeled "Progress" has a priest on 
horseback with his face towards the tail, 
by which appendage he is endeavoring to 
drive the animal. Another is Victor Em- 
manuel and the Pope walking arm-in- 
arm in Rome, with words signifying that 
he is taking the sick man out for an air- 
ing. The Italian papers, also, in speak- 
ing of the probable earl}' death of the 
Pope, and the election of his successor, 
contend that the new Pupe shall be of 
the same politics as Bismark. 

During our former visit to Naples, 
twelve years ago, Church ceremonials and 
processions on the street were encoun- 
tered at every turn. Everybody in sight 
was compelled to kneel. Now there is little 
of the kind to be seen, and the attend- 
ance at the churches is not only very 
light, but consists nearly altogether of 
women and old men. Whilst in a store 
at Naples a few days since, a mendicant 
priest, a man young enough and strong- 
enough to work for his living, came into 
beg. He was greeted by the storekeeper 
as a lazy vagabond, and ordered to go 
about his business in a manner more vig- 
orous than polite. To hear a Neapolitan 
thus address a priest startled us, but we 
were assured that they are no longer in 
favor, and are regarded as the leeches 
who have sucked the life-blood of the 
people. Their number in Naples, in- 
cluding monks and friars, is very great, 
certainly not less than ten to fifteen thou- 



sand, and it is evident that many of them 
could be spared without detriment to the 
Church. Here in Rome, with a popula- 
tion not one-fourth that of Naples, the 
numl)er is said to exceed twenty thou- 
sand ; and if the female religieuses be in- 
cluded, the number must be over thirty 
thousand, — verily a large army of non- 
productives for so small a city. We ob- 
serve a new caricature on the walls of 
the city to-day, which is attracting crowds 
of spectators, who seem to enjoy it very 
much. It is a number of females swim- 
ming in a lake, and they have got among 
them an old priest, whom they are busily 
engaged in ducking, whilst one of them 
has a large stone raised over the head of 
the priest, ready to hurl it upon him. An 
old man, whom we do not recognize, is 
perched up in the branches of a tree, and 
has two cords under the arms of one of 
the leading assailants. It is probably 
intended for Bismark. Another old 
priest is being dragged into the water by 
some of the Amazons. What it all means 
we are unable to determine, but the 
people seemed to understand and enjoy it. 

ITALIAN ANNOYANCES. 

There is nothing which the traveler in 
Italy has more cause to dread than the 
vexations and continual succession of 
jietty annoyances which he is doomed to 
encounter upon leaving a city or arriving 
at a new one. A clerical friend, the Rev. 
Mr. Barrett, of Jackson, Illinois, whom we 
met at the Naples depot, insists that it 
all grows out of pure cussedness, and a 
determination to do everything just the 
way in which nobody else would think 
of doing it. He says if they walk with 
a cane they persist in carrying the ferrule 
in their hand and the head on the ground. 
When you apply for a ticket you must 
have the exact change required, or expect 
none from the ticket-seller. The moment 
you reach the depot at least a dozen men 
rush at you, all in official garb, each one 
of whom will seize a separate article, one 
a shawl, one a cane, one an umbrella, and 
one a carpet-sack, and, if there is not 
enough to go around, the balance will run 
ahead to open the doors and make them- 
selves as annoying as possible. When 
you secure your ticket, and have your 
baggage weighed and registered, each one 
of these dozen semi-officials rushes at 
you for a. prohoi^ and if you give them a 
grano each they will want six, or if you 
give them one they will want two. On 
arriving at Rome we fought the whole 
gang off", carried our bundles to the om- 



216 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



nibus, and escaped without much annoy- 
ance. They snatched our baggage several 
times, and we had to show fight to recover 
it, and they evidently thought we were 
regular Yankee guerillas. At Naples we 
paid the hotel-keeper for carrying us to 
the depot. On arriving there the omni- 
bus-man demanded the fare, and said that 
the hotel-keeper denied having received 
it. We paid a second time, and in a few 
moments after we detected the same man 
endeavoring to obtain from another of the 
party pay again, making, if he had ob- 
tained it, three payments for carrying us 
to the cars. 

FIRST DAT IN ROME. 

We found the weather was quite warm 
here, and in the sun excessively hot, but 
still not too warm to ride about and view 
the painting-galleries in the palaces of 
Rome. We visited the Palace Doria, the 
Palace Borghese, and the Palace Farnese, 
stopping on the way to look in at that grand 
old heathen temple, the Pantheon. There 
are some few paintings in these princely 
galleries, but the great majority of them 
would not be given wall-room in such a 
collection as that of William T. AValters, 
Esq., of Baltimore. The Pantheon, from 
the fact of its having been built before 
the birth of Christ as a temple to the 
heathen gods, gives it a historic interest 
that always attracts to its halls every vis- 
itor to Rome. It is now used as a Cath- 
olic church, and the niches in the walls, 
built for statues of Jupiter, Mars, etc., 
arc now occupied by those of the apostles. 

We spent the afternoon in the Vatican 
palace, the home of the Pope, in which 
he persists in regarding himself as a 
prisoner. The paintings and statuary in 
these galleries are all of the highest order, 
and are so numerous as to require several 
hours even merely to stroll by them. 
Among the statuary the Apollo Belvedere 
and the Laocoon claim pre-eminence. 
The frescoes and paintings, principally by 
Raphael, Perugino, and Murillo, are con- 
sidered their masterpieces. Scores of 
artists are always at work in these gal- 
leries, making copies of the great masters. 
Since the occupation of Rome by Victor 
Emmanuel, the Pope has charged two 
francs admission to the Vatican. 

WATER AND WINE. 

An American traveling in Italy in 
summer will find greater difficulty in ob- 
taining a cool glass of water than any- 
thing else. If he drinks water at his 
meals he is regarded as a lunatic, and if 



he calls for ice-water and should succeed 
in obtaining it, he will find it in his bill 
when he comes to settle. Water is re- 
garded as unhealthy, and is as costly in 
this country as wine, provided you desire 
to have it cool and palatable. You are 
expected to drink wine for breakfast, 
wine for dinner, and wine for supper. 
From one to two bottles of wine per day 
is regarded as essential to health, and 
even the beggar in the street must have 
his modicum of wine. They have a 
great reverence for fountains, and like to 
look at cascades, or bold jets of the crys- 
tal fluid, but when it has performed this 
function the Italian regards it as having 
served its purpose. Latterly, in Naples, 
the institution of bath-houses all around 
the bay by Victor Emmanuel has induced 
the Italians to regard water as valuable 
for purposes of ablution, and thousands 
of them are all the time luxuriating in 
their salt-baths. It is to be hoped that 
this will induce them to have more re- 
spect for water. His next movement for 
the elevation of Italy should be the in- 
troduction of soap by the encouragement 
of its manufacture. It is a singular fact 
that among the lower classes, and in the 
agricultural regions, the use of soap is 
almost unknown, and the article is re- 
garded as a luxury only to be enjoyed 
by the rich. If the traveler does not 
carry a supply with him he will never 
find any in the hotels, and will often be 
unable to procure it at any price. 

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. 

In every Italian city a majority of the 
hotels now have American names, the 
object being to attract American travel- 
ers, under the supposition that they Avill 
find English spoken. So also with the 
cafes ; but it is almost universally a fraud. 
In a cafe to-day we asked a waiter if he 
could speak English. The answer was, 
"we, we." We then told him to bring 
some sugar. He returned in a few mo- 
ments with a wineglass full of toothpicks. 
We then asked him in French to bring 
us Sucre, but the fellow could speak 
nothing but Italian, and he brought a pot 
of mustard. The stores all over Europe 
have a notice in their windows that Eng- 
lish is spoken, and in nine cases out of 
ten they cannot understand you, nor can 
you understand them. They send for 
some neighbor who knows a few words 
of English, but you have generally to 
work your way through by signs and 
motions and the few words you may have 
picked up in your travels. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES 



217 



VISIT TO ST. PETER S. 

We devoted Sunday to a visit to St. 
Peter's, and spent about three hours in 
viewina; its vast interior and magnificent 
decorations. It is a good phxce in which 
to spend a hot day, as you are never too 
warm within its walls, and a cool draught 
of air is always sweeping through its 
broad and lofty interior. Everybody has 
an idea that this church is immense in 
size, but their conceptions of its magni- 
tude always fall short of the reality. 
Let those who desire to conceive its real 
size draw a cross and set down as the 
length of its upright six hundred and 
thirteen feet. Then put down as the 
length of the arms of the cross four hun- 
dred and forty-six and a half feet. Over 
the centre of this cross is the great dome, 
the interior diameter of which is one hun- 
dred and thirty-nine feet, and the exte- 
rior one hundred and ninety-five and 
a half. The front of the cathedral is 
three hundred and seventy-nine feet long 
and one hundred and forty-eight and 
a half feet in height. The height of the 
dome from the pavement to the base of 
the lantern is four hundred and five 
feet, and to the top of the cross four 
hundred and forty-eight feet, or more 
than double the height of our Wash- 
ington Monument. There are five doors 
in the front which admit to the ves- 
tibule, which is itself much larger 
than any ordinary church. This vesti- 
bule is three hundred and sixty-eight 
feet long, sixty-six feet high, and fifty 
feet wide. It is of this great structure 
that the poet exclaimed, — 

" Enter! its grandeur overwhelms thee not; 

And whj'? it is not lessened, but thy mind, 
Expnnded by the genius of the spot. 

Has grown colossal, and can only find 
A fit abode wherein appear enshrined 

Thy hopes of immortality." 

Whatever idea may thus be learned as 
to its interior, its ornamentation is be- 
yond conception. The whole of its vast 
walls, railings, columns, corridors, ves- 
tibules, arches, massive piers, and numer- 
ous altars, are glittering with gold, and 
ornamented and decorated with statuary, 
paintings, bas-reliefs, and rich and rare 
gems and mottoes. The tombs and monu- 
ments of nearly all the Popes are here, 
and of many kings. The high altar, di- 
rectly under the dome, and over the tomb 
of St. Peter, Avith its bronze canopy, is 
too magnificent to attempt a description. 
This alone is estimated to have cost 
nearly nine millions of dollars. The 
number of altars in this vast structure 



cannot be less than thirty, and service is 
said to be perpetual within the walls of 
St. Petei-'s, so that any one stepping In, 
night or day, can always find the service 
of mass in progress. Whilst we were 
there, mass was being said constantly : 
the moment it ceased at one altar, a bell 
announced its commencement at another. 
There were about one hundred persons 
kneeling at each of the altars whilst the 
masses were in progress. 

The Italian soldiers, now in possession 
of the city, throng St. Peter's, as well as 
all the prominent places of interest. 
Most of them were probably never in 
Rome before. They are a fine-looking 
set of men, both soldierly and gentle- 
manly in their deportment, and finely 
uniformed. 

The open court in front of St. Peter's, 
with its massive colonnades, surmounted 
by statuary, is worthy of so immense a 
structure, though it is too large for the 
front of the building, and gives to the 
stranger a wrong impression as to its 
vastness. The colonnades inclose a space 
of seven hundred and eighty-seven feet 
in diameter, and are connected with the 
facade, or front of the church, by two 
galleries two hundred and ninety-six feet 
m length. The facade is three hundred 
and seventy-nine feet long, and one hun- 
dred and forty-eight and one-half feet high. 
The doors are approached by a flight 
of stone steps, the whole length of the 
cathedral. What is most to be admired 
about St. Peter's, inside and out, is that 
it is always kept clean, bright, and beau- 
tiful. The cost of keeping it clean and 
in good repair is said to be over fifty 
thousand dollars per annum. 

THE DOME OF ST. PETER's. 

We spent an hour on the roof and in 
ascending the dome of St. Peter's Cathe- 
dral. The ascent to the summit is the 
only means by which a proper idea can 
be formed of the immensity of the struc- 
ture, and it then presents one of the most 
extraordinary spectacles in the world. 
A broad, paved, spiral ascent, without 
steps, leads to the roof by so gentle a 
rise that a horse might mount it. On 
the walls are tablets recording the names 
of members of the reigning houses of 
Europe who have accomplished the ascent, 
including that of the Prince of Wales, 
who passed up in 1869. The roof is so 
immense that it requires a half-hour to 
walk round It, and the workmen who are 
constantly employed in repairing it and 
keeping it in order have houses here, in 



218 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



which they live with their families. Al- 
most all the roof is of brick, set in Roman 
cement as hard and solid as a rock. A 
long series of passages and staircases car- 
ried us from the roof to the different 
stages of the dome, winding between its 
, double walls and opening on the internal 
galleries. From the upper of these gal- 
leries, looking down on the altar and floor 
of the cathedral below, at a height of about 
four iiundred feet, the people scarcely look 
like human beings, and the mosaics of 
the dome, which look from below like 
finely-executed paintings, are found to be 
coarsely executed in the only style which 
could produce such an effect at such a 
distance. The staircases from this point 
lead directly to the top of the interior 
dome. Another flight of about thirty 
steps carried us up into the ball at 
the base of the cross, which from the 
front of the building looks not larger 
than a bomb-shell, but we found it to be 
capable of easily holding eighteen per- 
sons. Six were in it at the time we 
entered, but the heat was so oppressive 
that we were soon compelled to retreat. 

The view from the balcony below the 
ball is one of the finest in Europe. The 
whole of Rome is spread out like a map 
in the foreground, bounded on one side 
by' the Mediterranean and on the other 
by the chain of the Apennines. 

MIRACULOUS RELICS. 

Whilst viewing the churches and clois- 
ters of Rome, many miraculous things 
were pointed out by our guide which 
rather startled our credulity. In the 
cloister of St. John Lateran, an altar- 
table of white marble, about two inches 
thick, with a small hole through it, and 
a round yellow spot on the marble up- 
right which sustained it, we were assured 
came there by a miracle. A priest who 
did not believe that the wafer was the 
real body of Christ was officiating at the 
altar, and, laying down the wafer, it 
passed immediately through the stone, 
and the yellow spot underneath was 
where it struck in its descent. Then we 
were shown a long flight of steps, covered 
with wood, about twelve feet broad, and 
rising about thirty feet, which we were 
assured were the identical steps, brought 
from Pilate's house at Jerusalem, which 
Christ passed down on his way to be 
crucified. No good Catholic, we were 
informed, would pass up or down these 
steps except on his knees. Then pieces 
of the veritable cross were in possession, 
and the place was pointed out to us in which 



the veritable heads of St. Peter and St. 
Paul are kept, — all of which may be so ; 
but we also licard of several pieces of the 
veritable cross in San Domingo, and 
have heard of parts of St. Peter and St. 
Paul being in so many places, that we 
are rather inclined to agree with Mark 
Twain, that there must be several ship- 
loads of this sacred material scattered 
over the world, and that the bones of the 
saints have been much scattered. 

Another great relic is deposited in a 
small chapel underneath the high altar 
of Santa Maria Maggiore. It professes to 
be the boards of the manger in which the 
Saviour lay after his birth. A solemn 
ceremony and procession on Christmas 
Eve commemorate this subject. Five 
boards of the manger compose the cradle 
in which the Saviour was deposited at 
his nativity. An urn of silver and ci-ystal 
incloses these relics, on the top of which 
is the figure of the holy child. At St. 
Peter's the handkerchief which lay over 
the face of Christ, and tlie spear with 
which his side was pierced, are only ex- 
hibited from the high balcony during 
Holy Week. The chain by which St. 
Peter was manacled is also kept in one of 
the churches. We also saw one of these 
chains at Cologne. 

There is some reason to believe that 
the Jerusalem steps are genuine, or at 
least that there is a very plausible reason 
given that they are the veritable steps over 
which Christ passed in going to and from 
the trial-chamber in Pilate's house. Bae- 
deker says that they were brought to 
Rome three hundred years after the death 
of Christ, having been taken from Pilate's 
house, and were those that led to the trial- 
chamber. They are of whit'C marble ; but 
as they became so greatly worn by the 
crowds of Christian worshipers who 
sought the opportunity of going over 
them on their knees, it was deemed ad- 
visable to cover them with boards, in 
Avhich condition they now are, presenting 
the appearance of a board staircase. On 
Sunday thousands of peasants were crawl- 
ing over these stairs all day, and apply- 
ing for indulgences, which a notice over 
the door announced would 1)e granted for 
" the living or the dead," — price, five 
francs. This rather staggered our faith 
in the exhibition. 

DOWN AMONG THE ANCIENTS. 

There is nothing so destructive of the 
sentiment of romance which envelops 
the ruins of the ancient Romans as to 
wander over the hot bricks and cement 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



219 



during a heated term like the present. 
The explanations and ovations of your 
j^uide, in such horrible En<rlisli that it is 
necessary to repeat it three times to know 
what he really did say, adds to the tor- 
ment, and a day's work done leaves a 
vivid remembrance of the labor and an- 
uovance, and vefy little gratification. 
To leave Home without seeing everything 
worth seeing would be regarded by Mrs. 
Grundy as having no sentiment of appre- 
ciation for the wonderful in ruins or the 
gi'and in art. After seeing Pompeii, a 
city extinguished like a flash in the midst 
of its glory, the scattered remnants of 
ancient Rome, incomplete and broken, 
become tame and uninteresting, especially 
as the photographist has made the world 
familiar with every broken column and 
ragged wall, and has given us the Coli- 
seum in all its glory and magnificence. 
Even the statuary of the ancients, or at 
least all of it that has merit, has been 
photographed over the world ; and to wade 
among so many miles of stone men and 
women — as our clerical friend styles them 
— as is required to ferret out what is 
world-renowned, becomes a little irksome, 
to say the least of it. So also with the great 
galleries of paintings: most of them are 
mere trash and rubbish, and one feels a 
kind of inward conviction that, whatever 
may be their merit, they will not bear a 
second visit by those who do not make 
paintings a hobby and ancient paintings a 
worship. We confess to the weakness of 
admiring modern art, and to believing that 
the lauded mellowness of coloring by the 
ancients is more the effect of age on their 
jjroductions than of superior touch and 
skill. So also with statuary. The pro- 
ductions of Powers and other modern 
artists are equal to those of the ancients. 
It is a matter of wonder that the old 
heathens should have become so expert 
in the art, and that they really reached 
perfection, but we have seen but few 
specimens that are superior to the pro- 
ductions of the sculptors of the present 
generation. Then the latter are bright 
and beautiful, while those of the ancients 
are stained and begrimed with the rust 
of ages. Michael Angelo would probably 
never have been deemed to have had any 
merit as a sculptor if he had not secretly 
buried one of his productions, previously 
taking off and concealing an arm. After 
it had time to become earth-stained he 
caused it to be found, and it was hailed 
as the most wonderful of all the recov- 
ered statuary of the ancients. When 
the excitement was at its height he pro- 



duced the missing arm, bright and beau- 
tiful, and claimed the work as his own 
production. If it had not been for this 
trick, which caused all the critics to com- 
mit themselves in admiration of this won- 
derful piece of statuary, Michael Angelo 
might have struggled in vain for the emi- 
nence he afterwards achieved. 

MENDICANT PRIESTS. 

We have before alluded to the fact that 
both here and at Naples mendicant priests 
and friars are to be met at every turn, 
begging for pennies. They are certainly 
the most woebegone-looking creatures 
possible to conceive, and many of them 
are both dirty and ragged. We were 
assured yesterday by an Italian gentle- 
man that their destitution is real, and 
that there is a determination upon the 
part of the people to break up and dis- 
perse them. In times past they ruled 
and tyrannized over the people of Rome 
without mercy, and now they have no 
pity for them. The women secretly aid 
them, but they seldom appro.ach a man, 
unless he is a stranger, for aid. It is a 
singular thing to find such evidences of 
joy among Roman Catholics over the 
overthrow and humiliation of the Pope. 
But the fact is, it is the cardinals, and 
not the Pope, against whom the feeling is 
entertained. The Pope, like Queen Vic- 
toria, is beloved by all the people, but 
the tyranny of the clergy under his rule 
had become so offensive that the relief 
afforded them by Victor Emnnmuel is a 
source of constant rejoicing. This feeling 
is shown by their kindness to the Italian 
troops, who are certainly well-disciplined 
and well-behaved soldiers, and withal a 
remarkably fine-looking body of men. 

Both in Rome and Naples the number 
of street-beggars has greatly decreased. 
Indeed, we doubt if there are more beg- 
gars to be met with now in the streets of 
Rome than on the streets of Baltimore. 
Those who are still plying their old voca- 
tion are nearly all cripples, or else young 
children. It is true this may be an un- 
propitiuus season for beggars in Rome, 
but there are very few of them now to be 
met with except around the church-doors, 
and these are old crones, who are beyond 
the age for regeneration or improvement. 

IMPROVEMENTS OF ROME. 

On entering the city by railroad from 
Naples, and passing the gates leading 
towards the Appian Way, among the 
ruins of the arches of the aqueduct which 
supplied ancient Rome with water, we 



220 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



were astonished to observe the change, 
even in this remote section of the Holy 
City, which had taken place since our 
visit twelve years ago. There was then 
no railroad, and we traveled from Naples 
in diligences along the Appian Way, 
through the Pontine Marshes, stopping 
at all the towns along the shores of the 
Mediterranean, where the famous brigands 
even at that time made their haunts. We 
had scarcely passed inside of the walls 
of Rome Avhen there loomed up before us 
the new railroad depot, which is one of 
the most magnificent and handsomely- 
adorned buildings of the kind that we have 
yet met with on either side of the Atlan- 
tic. It is constructed of stone, extensively 
ornamented with abundance of statues 
and bas-reliefs, and is fully sis hundred 
feet in length. In driving down towards 
the centre of the city we were surprised 
to find rows of elegant new residences 
going up on every side, old palaces being 
renovated and almost reconstructed, and 
new palaces being built. Indeed, from 
the present appearances, so great is the 
change that fortunes have probably been 
made here in speculating in corner-lots 
and suburban property. This all grows 
out of the fact that Rome is now the 
capital of Italy. Of course all the no- 
bility of Italy must have palaces in Rome, 
and many of the old palaces have been 
sold to them at good prices. We also 
found the hotel-keepers filled with mag- 
nificent expectations, all of whom are 
making efforts to improve and enlarge 
their establishments. 

THE PROTESTANT BURTING-GROUND. 

This is one of the most beautiful spots 
in the environs of Rome, and is well taken 
care of, the whole interior Ijeing orna- 
mented with flowers and shrubbery. It 
has a high stone wall round it, with a 
gate-keeper and gardeners always in at- 
tendance. There are a large numlier of 
very tine monuments, principally of Eng- 
lishmen who have died in Rome, having 
come here for the recovery of their 
health, with a few Americans. Most 
travelers visit it with melancholy interest. 
The silence and the seclusion of the spot, 
and the inscriptions in our mother-tongue, 
beneath the bright skies of the Eternal 
City, appeal irresistibly to the heart. Here 
lie the remains of Shelley, the poet, and 
his friend John Keats. 

THE ROMAN PALACES. 

The Pope and the Roman nobles have 
the most magnificent palaces and villas in 



the world, in all of which there are ex- 
tensive galleries of paintings and statuary. 
Some of these private establishments ex- 
ceed those of the Pope in their attrac- 
tions, several of which we visited to-day. 
The number of these palaces in Rome is 
seventy-five. 

The Pope's summer palace, in which he 
resides during such portion of the year 
as the Vatican is rendered unhealthy by 
the malaria, is a very grand affair. The 
floors are of mosaic, the walls are covered 
with paintings and tapestry, and the 
vaulted ceilings present a succession of 
grand scriptural paintings in fresco by 
the best artists of the past century. We 
jjassed through about thirty spacious 
rooms and halls, including the chamber, 
library, and throne-room of the Pope, the 
halls and ante-rooms of the Noble Guard 
and the Swiss Guard, in all of which 
were numerous fine specimens of statu- 
ary. Here, as in all the public buildings 
and palaces, a number of artists were en- 
gaged in making copies of some of the 
great paintings of the old masters. 

The palace of the Borghese family, in 
the heart of the city, is a grand affair, 
Avhilst their villa, immediately outside of 
the walls, exceeds anything of a private ' 
character we have yet met with in Europe. 
The grounds of their villa are four miles 
in circumference, and, being always open 
to the puljlic, supersede the necessity of 
a public park for the citizens of Rome. 
It is rich in every variety of park-scenery, 
diversified by groves of ilex and laurel, 
by clumps of stone-pine, and by long 
avenues of cypresses, which supply the 
landscape artists with endless combina- 
tions for their pencils. The grounds are 
well laid out, and interspersed with nu- 
merous gushing fountains in every direc- 
tion, in all manner of fanciful design and 
rich sculpture. On the highest point of 
the grounds stands the villa, a noble 
building of great extent, the statuary- and 
painting-galleries of which are open to 
the public every Saturday afternoon. On 
the first floor there are two saloons, each 
sixty feet long and fifty feet high, painted 
in fresco by artists of the last century, 
and seven smaller rooms, all of which are 
filled with statuary, including several fine 
statues of Venus, Apollo, Diana, Ceres, 
Mercury, Sappho, and Hercules. The 
number of works of art in these eight 
rooms cannot amount to less than five 
hundred. On the second floor there is 
also a suite of six rooms, some filled with 
statuary and others with paintings. The 
Venus for which the Princess Borghese, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



221 



the sister of Napoleon, sat to Canova, is 
also preserved here. She was regarded 
as the handsomest woman of her time. 
This is the statue in reference to which 
the anecdote is told of a lady friend ask- 
inu- the princess how it was possible she 
could sit in such a nude condition for her 
statue, ller reply was characteristic of 
the woman : " Oh, I d'd not mind it: there 
was a warm fire in the room." 

The city palace of the Borghese family 
has also an immense gallery of paintings, 
which is open to the public, filling twelve 
large rooms, with ceilings almost thirty 
feet high, vaulted and frescoed in the 
highest style of art. Some of the paint- 
ings in this collection have a world-wide 
renown, among which are Raphael's mag- 
nificent painting of the Entombment of 
Christ, the Chase of Diana, by Dome- 
nichino, the Return of the Prodigal Son, 
by Guercino, the Three Graces, by Titian, 
Sacred and Profane Love, by Titian, the 
Entombment, by Vandyke, etc. 

The Barberini Palace also contains a 
small collection of paintings, among 
which we noticed the celebrated portrait 
of Beatrice Cenci, taken by Guido on the 
night before her execution ; and Raphael's 
Fornarina. There is an extensive library 
here also, of sixty thousand volumes, and 
a great collection of ancient manuscripts. 

The Corsini Palace has also a fine suite 
of rooms filled with paintings and statu- 
ary, and a library consisting of thirteen 
thousand manuscripts and sixty thousand 
pi'inted volumes. 

DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN. 

We have visited several of the monas- 
teries. That of the Capuchins, adjoining 
the church of Santa Maria della Con- 
cezione, was very interesting. The church 
is celebrated for the picture of the arch- 
angel Michael, by Guido. Over the en- 
trance-door is also the cartoon, by Giotto 
of St. Peter Walking on the Water. 

We were received by a Capuchin friar, in 
his long heavy brown cloth robe and cowl, 
with rope around his waist, and conducted 
behind the altar and through the cloisters, 
from whence we passed into the basement 
of the church, where a sight met our view 
for which we were wholly unprepared. 
It appears that whenever a monk or friar 
of this order dies he is buried in one of 
the four vaulted chambers under the 
church, each one of which has ten graves, 
with a small cross at the head and the 
name of its occupant on a card. There 
is thus room for forty graves, and for the 
last two hundred years, after these graves 



were all filled, it has been the custom of 
the order to take up the body in the 
oldest grave to make room for a new oc- 
cupant of the receptacle. By this means 
there have accumulated the bones of more 
than a thousand monks, which are piled 
up in the most fantastic manner around 
the walls, displaying considerable archi- 
tectural taste in their arrangement. In 
one vault the leg- and thigh-bones are 
thus arranged, in another the skulls, in 
another the arm-bones, and in another 
the shoulder-blades are the principal 
features. They are so arraiiged as to 
leave niches and arches in the piles, and 
in these niches and arches in each vault 
are seven full skeletons, their arms 
crossed, and arrayed in black robes, with 
cords around the waists, three of them 
reclining and four standing upright. 
Some of these ghastly skulls are covered 
with dried flesh, from which long beards 
are flowing. The ceilings are also deco- 
rated with rib-bones and pieces of verte- 
bras, so skillfully arranged in flowers and 
quaint figures that at first glance they- 
look like stucco-work. In the centre of 
each vault, and also in the passage-way 
adjoining them, are candelabra made of 
human bones suspended by bones from 
the ceiling. 

The whole range of these cells are on 
a level with the ground, each having a 
large grated window, and the bright rays 
of the sun were shining upon the ghastly 
spectacle at the time we passed through 
them. The price of admission for a party is 
one franc, and the receipts are a source of 
considerable income to the Church. Since 
the overthrow of the Papal government 
this foolish interment has been stopped, 
and the Capuchins who hereafter die are 
compelled to take their chance of being 
found when wanted among the rest of 
humanity in out-of-door cemeteries. The 
bone-exhibition is allowed to continue, 
and an enterprising daguerreotypist was 
engaged in taking views of each of the 
six chambers into which the cemetery is 
divided. They will make ghastly pictures. 

BROTHER, WE MUST ALL DIE. 

Our next visit was to the Carthusian 
monastery attached to the magnificent 
church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which 
was originally the great hall of the Baths 
of Diocletian, built two thousand years 
ago, but was altered into a church and 
monastery by Michael Angelo. Eight of 
the immense granite columns of the baths, 
which are in one solid piece, forty-five 
feet high and sixteen feet in circumference, 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



stand in their positions, toAvhich others in 
imitation have been added. It is one of 
the finest churches in Rome, and the 
order of Carthusian monks, to Avhich it 
belongs, are all Roman nobles. 

The monastery cloisters are very fine, 
and the four long corridors, supported by 
one hundred columns of travertine, form 
a hoUoAY square, arranged as a finely- 
cultivated garden, in the centre of ■which 
is a fountain, presenting quite an attract- 
ive scene. The monks or friars of this 
order wear no hats or caps, have long 
flowing boards, and wear gowns and cowls 
of white flannel, with a heavy cord tied 
round their waists. The great rule of 
this order is silence, they never speaking 
to one another, except the salutation of, 
"Brother, we must all die;" to which 
the one addressed replies, " I know it, 
brother." This is said to be the only 
intercourse they have ; though the several 
we met in the cloisters were stout, hearty- 
looking fellows, with good-natured counte- 
nances, and talked very freely to us. 

The stable and barn of the monastery 
was formerly part of Diocletian's Baths 
also, which were supposed to be over a 
mile in circumference, the ruins of which 
show their arched ceilings from fifty to 
sixty feet high. These old Romans were 
great sticklers for cleanliness, judging 
from the extent of the ruins of their 
bathing-establishments. 

THE CHURCHES OF ROME. 

There are over three hundred churches 
in Rome, independent of the seven basil- 
icas or cathedrals, and many of them are 
of a character that must surprise the vis- 
itor at their great extent and the magnifi- 
cence of their appointments. 

The new cathedral of fSt. Paul is a 
mile and a quarter outside the gates of 
the city, and is grand beyond the power 
of description. With the exception of the 
great dome, its interior is as magnificent 
as that of St. Peter's, and the richness of. 
its altars and pillars exceeds it. It abounds 
in alabaster, malachite, black and yellow 
marble, green basalt, porphyry, and every 
variety of rich and rare marble in its al- 
tars, pillars, walls, and floors, Avhilst its 
ceilings are of white and gilt stucco, its 
walls filled with fine paintings, and like- 
nesses in mosaic of some two hundred 
saints. Nothing can exceed the richness 
of the whole edifice. The roof of the 
nave is a magnificent specimen of modern 
carved wood-work and gilding, having the 
armorial bearings of the present pontiff in 
the centre. The effect of the four ranges 



of granite columns, eighty in number, ia 
unparalleled. They are after the Corin- 
thian order, the capitals and bases being 
of white marble ; in addition to which 
there are two more colossal than the rest, 
supporting the arch over the high altar, 
which were presented by the Emperor of 
Austria, all of them being in solid blocks 
forty and fifty feet high. The total length 
of the structure is two hundred and ninety- 
six feet ; the length of the nave, three 
hundred and six feet; the width of the 
nave and side-aisles, tAvo hundred and 
twenty-two feet; and the width of the 
transept, two hundred and fifty feet. 
Under the high altar is the tomb, which 
the tradition of the Church from the ear- 
liest times had pointed out as the burial- 
place of St. Paul, Avhose body, on the 
same authority, is inclosed in an urn on 
which is engraved the name of the apos- 
tle. Like the tomb of St. Peter, in St. 
Peter's Cathedral, one hundred lamps are 
ke])t burning around it night and day. 

The cathedrals of the Lateran and of 
Santa Maria Maggiore, both of which we 
visited, are also very grand, and abound 
in fine paintings, statuary, mosaics, and a 
variety of ornamental marbles of every 
color, presenting a richness beyond all 
power of description. 

We also visited San Pietro in Vin- 
coli, in which the colossal statue of Moses, 
by Michael Angelo, is the great feature 
of attraction, though the other specimens 
of sculpture and paintings are very fine. 
Here also is kept, as a sacred relic, Avhat is 
said to be the chain with which St. Peter 
Avas bound whilst a prisoner in Rome. 

HOTELS OF ROME. 

There is much need of improvement in 
the hotels of Rome, but Ave must in all 
truth and candor add that they are far 
superior to those of London, both in 
accommodations and attendance, and their 
table-iVhote is better, both in quality and 
character of cooking. We are stopping 
at the Hotel d'Angleterre, Avhich is said 
to be the best in Rome in all respects, 
being intended for John Bull's especial 
accommodation, Avho, you know, is an 
inveterate grumbler. With tAvo or three 
occasional exceptions, we are the only 
guests (this being the dull season), and 
are probably receiving more than ordi- 
nary attention. In this country they 
furnish you good beds, but make no effort 
to keep the house clean ; and though you 
may, l)y dint of close watching and con- 
stant slaughter, keep your rooms clear 
of fleas, every time a lady goes to tlie 



AMEBIC AN SPECTACLES. 



223 



dlnln'r-room or passes through the halls she 
is sure to gather up a score of them. Be- 
fore they can have acceptable hotels for 
foreigners, the keepers of these hotels 
must have a better appreciation of the 
annoyance of these terrible pests, and of 
the necessity of not only sweeping their 
marble and cement floors, but of making 
another use of water besides squirting it 
through the pipes of a fountain. They 
sweep the floors with a sprawling straw 
broom, put together something like our 
scavengers' brooms, and never think of 
such a thing as mopping up the floors 
with water. Our party have killed so 
many fleas since they have been here that 
we sliould not wonder if the house has a 
better reputation in this respect in future. 
The general cost of living in a Roman 
hotel is but little more than three dollars 
per day, and those who choose to take 
their meals at the restaurants can reduce 
their expenses to about two dollars and a 
half. For a family, or a large party visit- 
ing Rome, it is always better to seek fur- 
nished apartments, which are to bo had 
in all sections of the city, and take meals 
in the cafes. There is generally an old 
lady in charge of the rooms, who keeps 
everything clean, and will furnish cofl'ee, 
bread and butter, and eggs for breakfast, 
if desired, at a very moderate charge. 
Those who know Rome always seek these 
quarters in preference to the hotels. Our 
bill for a party of four, for four days at 
Rome, was one hundred and fifty-three 
francs, or about thirty-one dollars, though 
we took two or three meals at restaurants, 
which would make it about forty dollars, 
or just two dollars and a half each per day. 
The charges were so light that it seemed 
hard to compel the landlord to strike off 
nineteen francs for the inevitable errors 
of addition and charges for articles that 
we had not called for. An Italian hotel- 
bill, with its numerous items, is a curi- 
osity, and as it is never delivered to you 
until the moment you are about starting, 
very few are able to decipher and correct 
them, 

SUNDAY IN ROME, 

There is evidently no Sunday-law in 
Rome. Everybody here seems to do as 
they think proper, but a vast majority of 
the people strictly observe the day, and 
nine-tenths of the stores are kept closed. 
Those that are open are restaurants, cafes, 
t bacco-stores, fruit-stores, and drinking- 
houses. Every place for the sale of eat- 
ables or drinkables is in full blast, and 
we encountered some few, but a very few, 



mechanics at work at their trades. The 
streets were thronged all day with well- 
dressed people, Init the churches into 
which we dropped had but few attend- 
ants, and those were principally old men 
and women of the lower classes. A great 
many of these, although clean and well 
dressed, held out their hands to us for 
alms, leading to the supposition that this 
was the main object of their attendance. 
There were a great many soldiers on the 
streets, all in full uniform, wearing white 
cotton gloves, and looking extremely 
well. The police wear a military di-ess, 
carry a sword at their sides, and with 
coats buttoned up to the throat, and yel- 
low cord and tassel gracefully looped over 
the breast, carry themselves erect and 
soldierly. They are all young men, ap- 
parently under twenty-five years of age, 
and have evidently seen military service. 
The numbers of each regiment are in gilt 
figures on their stand-up collars, and they 
also wear white gloves. 

PROMENADE ON THE CORSO. 

After dinner this (Sunday) evening we 
started for a promenade on the Corso, 
which is the fashionable thoroughfare of 
Rome. The throng was so great that 
both pavement and street were well filled 
with pedestrians, ladies and gentlemen, 
and the officers of the various Italian regi- 
ments stationed in Rome. The latter 
were in their elegant undress uniforms, 
and presented as trig and smart appear- 
ance as our holiday soldiers do when on 
parade. Their dresses appeared as if just 
from the tailor-shop, and were remarkable 
for style and excellent fit. On their 
breasts Avere various medals, and they 
were evidently set upon attracting theat^ 
tention of the ladies by their fine military 
appearance and bearing. They all car- 
ried side-arms, and wore fancy military 
caps, and could be seen along the whole 
line of the Corso. 

The Corso was so thronged with pedes- 
trians that the carriages, with a fine dis- 
play of the fashionables of Rome, could 
scarcely get along. Our party were rec- 
ognized as Americans, and were duly 
inspected, especially by the Roman ladies. 

The newsboys throughout the afternoon 
were busily crying and selling a Sunday 
paper, which was bought up by the peo- 
ple with great avidity. There are several 
papers now published here daily, and the 
newsboys, or rather newsmen, are becom- 
ing quite an institution. Twelve years 
ago there was but one paper published, 
once a week, in Rome, and it contained 



224 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



nothing but ofScial decrees and Church 
notices ; and although the Italian war 
was then in progress, it was not allowed 
even to allude to it. The London Times 
was then not permitted to come through 
the post-office, and could only be had by 
smuggling it through by private convey- 
ance. The Rome of the present day is a 
cradle of liberty compared to what it was 
then, and there is no mistaking the fact 
that all Rome, outside of the Pope, the 
cardinals, and the priesthood, is happy 
and hopeful. It does one good to see the 
Italian flag flying from the Castle of St. 
Angelo, which was for so many years the 
prison-house of all liberal Italians who 
had the manhood to entertain and express 
sentiments favorable to human liberty. 

ROMAN LADIES. 

There was quite a display of the beauty 
of Rome on the Corso on Sunday after- 
noon, and they were regarded by our 
female critics as quite womanly-looking 
women, exhibiting more force of charac- 
ter in their presence and bearing than the 
other sex. There were a few blondes 
among them, but most of them were dark- 
eyed brunettes. They dress with great 
taste, in plain colors, in full European or 
American costume, including fancy over- 
skirts, hats and feathers, but exhibit very 
little jewelry. 

GARIBALDI AND SAVONAROLA. 

While taking a drive on Pinciau Hill, 
our guide, with a quiet chuckle, pointed 
out to us among the marble busts of dis- 
tinguished Italians lining the di-ives, that 
of Garibaldi, a name that two years ago 
dared not be mentioned in Rome. It had 
just been placed here by order of the 
Italian government, to the great joy of 
the people. A few moments after we 
called upon the driver to stop in front of 
another beautiful bust, with a kind and 
benevolent countenance, and a wealth 
of waving hair extending down to the 
shoulders. Beneath it was engraved the 
name of Savonarola, the first of Italian 
patriots, a Dominican priest, who was 
burned at the stake in Florence, in 1498, 
on account of what was then deemed by 
the Pope to be heretical teaching and 
writing. This bust had also been placed 
in this position of honor by the Italian 
government since the redemption of 
Rome. Savonarola had previously been 
excommunicated for preaching against the 
celibacy of the clergy, and for this for- 
feited his life. The people of Florence 
and Rome, although earnest Catholics, 



still honor his memory, and that his bust 
should be placed among Italy's most hon- 
ored sons, on Pincian Hill, is a subject of 
great rejoicing. 

CLEANLINESS OF THE CITY. 

The streets of Rome are kept very 
clean, and none of those sharp and dis- 
gusting odors greet the olfactory organs 
at every turn, as was formerly the case. 
Every paving-stone in the city is carefully 
swept during the night, and the dust carted 
oif before breakfast-time in the morn- 
ing. The streets are also watered, and 
in the early morning it would be difficult 
to find any city, except Paris, cleaner 
than the Rome of the present day. The 
old Jew quarter, into which the Papal 
government crowded these people, is also 
broken up, and they have scattered over 
the city, seeking residences where their 
inclination may suggest. This was for- 
merly a terribly filthy section ; now it is 
as cleanly as any other, the number of 
residents being not more than one-fourth 
what it was. 



CITY OF FLORENCE. 

Florence, July, 1873. 
We left Rome at nine o'clock on Mon- 
day morning, and were at our hotel in 
Florence at seven o'clock the same even- 
ing, the distance being about two hun- 
dred and fifty miles. The weather was 
intensely hot. Being boxed up in one of 
those close cars, with nothing to eat and 
a very little to drink except an occasional 
tumbler of water, secured, at a penny a 
glass, through the car-window, was any- 
thing but pleasant. 

ROME TO FLORENCE. 

The road from Rome to Florence is a 
marvel of engineering, and has been con- 
structed under difficulties that one would 
have supposed likely to stagger the effete 
Italians. It crosses a portion of the Ap- 
ennine Mountains at a grade of about 
one hundred and fifty feet to the mile, 
and at one point of the road we counted 
twenty stone bridges erected over moun- 
tain-streams in less than ten miles. Then 
the tunnels are innumerable, varying in 
length from one hundred yards to over a 
mile. They are constructed in enduring 
masonry, and the equipments of the road, 
including depots and water-stations, are 
of a very superior character. 

The country through which the road 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



225 



passed, especially the first part of it, be- 
ing what was foi*merly known as a por- 
tion of the patrimony of St. Peter, is 
very sterile, being mostly mountainous. 
Every spot, however, is closely cultivated ; 
even the mountain-sides, as far up as the 
olive-tree can be made to grow, are cov- 
ered with this fruit of commerce. 

There are a great many towns and 
cities along the road between Rome and 
Florence, all of them during the first 
half of the route being located either on 
the tops of mountains or high up on their 
sides. Their mud-colored walls, red-tiled 
roofs, with scarcely a green tree to re- 
lieve the eye, basking on the mountain- 
side in the hot sun, give them a most 
forbidding aspect. They look as if one 
house was piled against another, and as 
if there was no room for locomotion 
within their limits. Every town has its 
immense fortifications, citadel, and castle, 
covering more ground and costing more 
money than the town itself. As we get 
towards Tuscany, however, the folly of 
building cities on the tops of mountains 
is abandoned, and we find them located 
on the plain, with cottages and farm- 
houses evincing a superior class of peo- 
ple to those of Southern Italy. 

FLORENCE BY GAS-LIGHT. 

We reached Florence in time to take 
a stroll through its streets and view the 
city by gas-light. The streets all through 
the heart of the city were literally 
thronged with promenaders, and the 
stores and cafes brilliant with gas-jets. 
Such a shining scene would never be 
seen in an American city except on the 
eve of some national holiday. The cafes are 
all immense establishments, some of them 
old palaces, and they were thronged to 
the curb-stones with parties eating and 
drinking. Newsboys were circulating 
everywhere, selling the evening papers, 
and vendors of fruit doing a brisk busi- 
ness. This continued up to twelve o'clock, 
when the city suddenly became quiet, 
and all street-scenes and noises ceased. 
With the stroke of the bell, stores and 
cafes were closed, and the doings of the 
day brought to an end. 

THE CAPITAL OF ITALY. 

Florence has been awarded the title by 
Byron of " the fairest city of the earth." 
It was, up to last year, since 1865, the 
capital of the kingdom of Italy, and Vic- 
tor Emmanuel here resided at the Pitti 
1ft 



Palace, which was formerly called the 
Palace of the Grand Duke. At the com- 
mencement of the present year the king 
and court removed to Rome, which is 
now the capital of the nation, thus ac- 
complishing what has been the great pur- 
pose of Italian unity, the blotting out 
forever of what were called the States of 
the Church. 

Florence is situated in the rich valley 
of the Arno, surrounded by beauties of 
nature and art. It is revered as the 
birthplace of Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, 
Galileo, Michael Angelo, Leonardo da 
Vinci, Benvenuto Cellini, and Andrea del 
Sarto. Beautiful gardens, adorned with 
statues, vases, fountains, and other deco- 
rations, as well as the open squares or 
piazzas, continually attract the eye of the 
visitor, and the palaces, which are very 
numerous, each containing rare paint- 
ings and sculpture, form th^ principal 
objects of interest in this delightful city, 
which is the pride of Italy. The Arno 
passes through the city, and is crossed by 
six bridges, but as it becomes at times as 
unruly as our Jones's Falls at home, they 
have nearly all at times been swept 
away. 

THE UFFIZI GALLERY. 

We visited this morning the Uffizi 
Gallery, the paintings in which are re- 
puted to be the richest and most varied 
in the world, with the exception of the 
Royal Gallery at Madrid, although not 
as extensive as many others. The Tri- 
bune, a small circular chamber, not only 
contains the chefs-d'oeuvre of this gallery 
but of the world, both in painting and 
statuary. Among the sculpture are the 
world-renowned Venus de Medici, which 
was found in the portico of Octavia at 
Rome, the Apollino, or young Apollo, 
the Dancing Faun, the Wrestlers, and 
the Antonio, a slave whetting his knife. 
These were all recovered from the ruins 
of Rome, and are the products of heathen 
sculptors. The Titian Venus alluded to 
by Byron is here, with several of the 
productions of Michael Angelo. 

It required several hours to pass 
rapidly through these galleries, where we 
encountered not less than fifty artists, 
male and female, making copies from the 
great masters. This, however, is the 
case to some extent in all the galleries of 
Italy. The business of copying these 
famous paintings has become quite an 
extensive one, and many of the copyists 
have become so expert as to command 
large prices for their work. 



226 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



FAIREST CITY OF THE EARTH. 

]f in Byron's time Florence could be 
called the fairest city of the earth, it is 
certainly much more entitled to the title 
now. A drive through it last evening 
disclosed vast improvements that have 
taken place during the past ten years. Its 
occupation as the Italian capital necessi- 
tated the building of large numbers of ele- 
gant palaces and public buildings, and the 
people manifested great anxiety to render 
their city worthy of the honor. At eight 
o'clock in the morning it would be im- 
possible for Mrs. Partington, with her 
finest broom, to gather a shovelful of 
dirt from any square in the city. It is 
smoothly paved, like all Italian cities, 
with slabs of stone about two and a half 
feet long by eighteen inches broad. These 
are grooved with the chisel, and occasion- 
ally roughened as they become smooth 
by wear. Its streets are mostly broad, 
its public squares numerous and beauti- 
ful, and its people are evidently very in- 
dustrious. You never see a beggar on 
the streets, unless blind or crippled. 

The population of Florence has also 
largely increased during the past ten 
years, as it now numbers two hundred 
thousand, and is steadily increasing. 
The cost of living is very low, and there 
are a large number of old English retired 
merchants and business-men who have 
settled here to live out the balance of 
their days. Their means are, in most 
cases, not sufficient to secure for them- 
selves and families the same comforts 
in England that can be had here at 
one-half the cost. Although everything 
is still cheap, it is not so cheap as it was 
in former years, when a furnished house, 
with horse and Carriage, could be had for 
five hundred dollars per annum. 

THE FLORENCE POLICE. 

We have before noticed the fact that 
the Italian police, both in Naples and 
Rome, are distinguished for their military 
bearing. Those of Florence excel in this 
as well as every other characteristic. 
They are tall, well-formed men, and their 
uniform is really elegant. They wear a 
well-fitting blue swallow-tailed coat, but- 
toned up to the throat with silver buttons ; 
standing collar, and their number in 
silver letters on the right collar. On the 
ends of the skirts of their coats there are 
several sprays of silver flowering, and 
across the back of the waist two rows of 
silver buttons, each eight in number, are 
displayed. The cap is something of what 
we would call a chapeau, turned up at 



the front, on which is a rosette of white, 
red, and blue, with a silver crown in the 
centre. To make the military status of 
the figure complete, they wear long swords 
at their sides, and white cotton gloves. 
Every man appears to be standing on his 
dignity, and to be fully aware of his per- 
sonal importance. 

VISIT TO THE FITTI PALACE. 

This was last year the residence of 
King Victor Emmanuel, but its chief at- 
traction now is the collection of paint- 
ings, which number about five hundred, 
and which to our uncultivated taste are 
more attractive than those contained in 
the Uffizi. AVe spent several hours in 
examining the paintings and statuary, 
and especially a mosaic table, about seven 
feet long, which cost over two hundred 
thousand dollars, and nearly fifteen years 
were taken in completing it at the govern- 
ment manufactory. 

The Boboli Gardens adjoin the palace, 
and have a world-wide reputation for the 
beauty of their adornments and culture. 
They abound in grottoes, fountains, roses 
sculpture, and magnificent terraces, from 
some of which a fine view of the whole 
city of Florence can be had. 

THE MUSEO NATURALE. 

This famous establishment also adjoins 
the Pitti Palace, and is free to all visitors, 
being sustained by the government. A 
sight more interesting and instructive it 
is difficult anywhere to meet. In addition 
to the well-arranged halls filled with min- 
erals and plants, many departments are 
devoted to wax models of the human body, 
as well as of a great number of animals. 
Here science has laid bare the whole ma- 
chinery of the human system, colored to 
resemble nature so closely that it is diffi- 
cult to conceive that it is not flesh and 
blood laid out to the view. Every sepa- 
rate part of the human form, bodies, legs, 
hearts, lungs, etc., are displayed upon 
cushions, some under glass; whole forms, 
the size of life, both male and female, lie 
exposed on white beds, opened from the 
throat downward, and all the internal 
organism laid bare. Youth and old age 
are here as if asleep, with the life-warm 
coloring of flesh, veins, and skin. 

THE CASCINE. 

The Druid Hill Park of the Florentines 
is the Cascine, on the peninsula formed 
by the junction of the Arno and the Mi- 
gnone. This is decidedly the most charm- 
ing drive and promenade in Italy. It 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



Ill 



derives its name from the dairy-houses 
of the late grand duke, which are situated 
near the centre of the drive, and which 
supply Florence with its purest milk and 
butter. From the Leghorn Railroad sta- 
tion, immediately outside the Porta al 
Prato, the bank of the Arno is laid out as 
a beautiful walk and drive, overshadowed 
by magnificent trees for the space of two 
miles. About midway of the grounds 
there is a large circular plateau. Here, 
several afternoons in the week, the bands 
perform, and here the fashionables of 
Florence make their calls. For the space 
of two or three hours, from four to seven, 
all Florence — that is, all Florence that 
pretends to be anybody — attends this 
fashionable exchange in all manner of 
equipages, in number varying from five 
hundred to one thousand, and they are 
not excelled in style or richness by any 
city except Paris. Around the music- 
stands the carriages congregate ; gentle- 
men descend and visit their lady friends 
and present them with bouquets, which 
the flower-girls have in abundance for 
the occasion. They talk, gossip, and flirt 
or promenade along the river-bank, where 
seats beneath shady groves supply the 
wants of solitaires as well as lovers. 
Fashionable society of Florence cares not 
where you live, what you eat, or what you 
wear, so long as you make your appear- 
ance at the opera and drive your turn-out 
on the Cascine, both of which are cheap 
enough. For ninety dollars per month a 
splendid turn-out can be hired, with two 
horses, coachman, and footman, an open 
carriage for driving in the Cascine, and a 
close carriage for the opera. A box at 
the opera, holding four to eight persons, 
will cost four to five dollars per night. 
Is it any wonder that there should be a 
demand for cottages in Florence, with its 
delightful climate, abundance of fruits, 
and cheap living? 

BURIAL OF THE POOR. 

There is a religious order in Florence 
which sprang into existence many years 
since, during the prevalence of the cholera. 
It undertook to superintend the funeral 
rites and burial of all persons who had 
neither friends nor money who died in 
the city. The members wear black 
frocks, covering the entire person, leav- 
ing only two holes for the eyes, and pre- 
sent a most ghostly appearance, and when 
seen at night, each with a flaming torch, 
carrying a hand-barrow covered with a 
black canopy, beneath which is the body, 
the scene is a most impressive one. Yes- 



terday afternoon, whilst viewing the bap- 
tistery, three of these processions passed, 
conveying some one departed to their last 
repose. Each procession included about 
a dozen members of the order, arrayed in 
their strange dresses, with a cross and 
rosary at their sides. These burial socie- 
ties are supported by public subscription. 
The pious work of these societies includes 
also the nursing and attending of the sick 
poor. As these processions pass, the peo- 
ple invariably raise their hats. 

FLORENCE TO BOLOGNA. 

We left Florence yesterday morning, 
and in the evening were in sight of 
Venice. The railroad from Florence 
strikes directly towards the Apennine 
Mountains, through a level plain of about 
twenty miles of rich land, every inch of 
which is under cultivation in Indian corn, 
grapes, hemp, and grass. 

The soil of Northern Italy is much 
richer than that of Southern Italy, and 
all manner of fruits more abundant and 
luscious. The market at Florence exhib- 
ited a greater variety of fruit than we 
have ever seen at one time in the Balti- 
more market. Apples, pears, peaches, 
strawberries, raspberries, plums, prunes, 
grapes, apricots, cherries, figs, green- 
gages, cantaloupes, watermelons, and sev- 
eral fruits which we never met with before, 
were displayed upon one stand. Every 
description of fruit, except the melons, 
were very large, and the cherries of all 
kinds fully double the size of ours, and 
free from worms. 

A GREAT RAILROAD. 

After passing through about twenty 
miles of valley-land, the road commenced 
to ascend the Apennine Mountains at a 
very heavy grade, passing over bridges 
and through tunnels more numerous than 
we had ever before encountered in rail- 
road engineering. The road from Flor- 
ence to Bologna is eighty-two miles, and 
the distance across the mountain is about 
forty miles, nearly the whole being over 
viaducts or through, tunnels. One of 
these tunnels is a mile and three-fourths 
in length, whilst others are short, some 
only a few hundred yards. It is only 
an occasional glimpse of the magnificent 
scenery of the Apennines, through which 
we are passing, that can be obtained, as 
the train flies in and out of the tunnels 
at one point of the ascent as often as 
thirteen times. The view, however, is 
sufficient to show that the mountain is 
largely inhabited, and that every avail- 



228 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



able spot of ground is cultivated to its 
fullest capacity. The mountain-sides are 
terraced, and agriculture prosecuted un- 
der difficulties that would not be under- 
taken in a less densely populated country. 
The Avhole of the road is constructed with 
the most solid masonry. Tunnels, bridges, 
viaducts, and stations all display triumphs 
of engineering such as have never been 
accomplished in any quarter of the world 
before. 

The view of Florence and the great 
valley of the Arno from the first mountain 
station is regarded as one of the most in- 
teresting in Europe. Every eminence is 
studded with villas ; the country, rich in 
vineyards and olive-groves, seems literally 
a land of oil and wine. Cultivation appears 
in its highest perfection ; the Etruscan for- 
tress of Fiesole rises magnificently over 
the opposite bank of the ]Mignone ; and 
Florence, with its domes, campaniles, and 
embattled towers, bursts upon the view. 

BOLOGNA TO VENICE. 

We only stopped one hour at Bologna, 
and the sun was too hot at mid-day to per- 
mit of an extended view of the city. Bo- 
logna has about ninety thousand inhabit- 
ants, and was until recently under the 
dominion of the Pope, being the most 
important province of the Holy See. 

About twenty miles before reaching 
Venice we pass the ancient town of Pa- 
dua, which is the oldest city in Northern 
Italy, and seems from the railroad to be 
almost a congregation of churches, with 
steeples, campaniles, etc. It has a popu- 
lation of about sixty thousand, and has 
the appearance of being a thriving city. 

APPROACH TO VENICE. 

A short time after passing Padua the 
city of Venice loomed up in the distance, 
looking to the eye like a city rising from 
the sea, with towers, steeples, domes, and 
turrets of white marble gleaming in the 
sun. All our preconceived ideas of Venice 
seemed to fall short of the reality. The 
various islands with their groups of 
houses appear as if they were floating 
upon the water. 

In my next I will endeavor to convey 
to your readers some idea of Venice. 



VENICE. 
City op Venice, July 6, 1873. 

THE QUEEN OF THE ADRIATIC. 

Here we are once again in the city of 
Venice, after less than a year's absence. 



Being in close proximity to her Majesty 
of the Adriatic, we could not forego the 
pleasure of again witnessing a Sunday 
scene on the Piazza of St. Mark, enjoy- 
ing another sail in the gay gondola, and 
a ramble among the palaces of this city of 
venerable memories. 

Venice is an odd place, and it takes 
some little time to understand and un- 
ravel its peculiarities. Only think of 
having your front door open on the water, 
without a foot of earth to stand upon. 
Think of being taken from the depot in 
a boat, and rowed around from one hotel 
to another to ascertain whether you can 
find rooms. The traveler seeks novelties, 
and it is just here that he will find them 
to perfection. Lord Byron went into such 
ecstasies over Venice tiiat the whole world 
has ever since desired to see it. The first 
thought that strikes you is the singular 
taste which induced a polished and edu- 
cated people to select so damp a site for 
a city. It has been represented as a de- 
lightful place to reside in. At first, no 
doubt, the novelty gratifies and pleases, 
but it is too monotonous to be a favorite 
residence for any length of time. The 
streets being so extremely narrow and 
tortuous, and the knowledge that you are 
dependent upon boats for locomotion, and 
the want of rural beauty, soon weary one 
of the scene. 

ACROSS THE ADRIATIC. 

We embarked at Trieste at ten o'clock 
last evening, on the steamer Milano, and 
expected to have very few passengers, but 
were surprised to find on board about 
four times as many as the vessel could 
accommodate, except with standing-room. 
They were mostly tourists, German, 
French, and English, and fully one-third 
were ladies. The run across requiring 
but six hours, and as the moon came out 
clear and bright shortly after we started, 
it was no great hardship to keep on deck, 
especially as it was too hot to find com- 
fort in the cabin. John Bull grumbled, 
but the majority of the passengers even 
sympathized with two omnibus-loads of 
passengers that reached the wharf just 
after we had cast loose our moorings, and 
thus lost the opportunity of spending a 
Sunday in Venice. After our companion 
had gotten through his ecstasies over " the 
blue Adriatic" and " the silver rays of 
the moon," we disposed ourselves as best 
we could for a sitting nap, and at break 
of day the " Queen of the Adriatic" ap- 
peared in the dim distance before us, 
though neither brighter nor younger than 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



229 



when we last saw her. In a short time 
we commenced to enter among the outer 
islands, on which some very fine coun- 
try-villas have been erected, and were 
soon at quarantine, but were only de- 
tained long enough to enable the officer 
to collect his fee. At five o'clock in the 
morning, the " gay gondolier," about 
whom so much exaggerated prose and 
poetry have been written, had us in his 
solemn craft, and in a few minutes landed 
us on the steps of the Hotel Bauer. 
Amid the scramble of these " gay gon- 
doliers" at the side of the steamer for 
passengers, they did not seem more lov- 
ing or lovely than that class of American 
citizens engaged in the conveying of pas- 
sengers and baggage to and from depots 
and hotels ; and they were arrayed in 
very similar apparel, probably second- 
hand when it was new, their figures being 
surmounted by broad-brimmed straw hats, 
very yellow and dirty. AVhen one of 
these vehicles struck harshly against its 
neighbor, the tone of the exclamation 
from the "gay gondolier," and the subse- 
quent exchange of compliments, sounded 
to our inexperienced eai's very much like 
the loving phrases we hfive heard ex- 
changed at our railroad depots when Jehu 
was similarly provoked. 

GONDOLAS AND GONDOLIERS. 

The gondolas and gondoliers, of which 
there are about four thousand licensed, 
the same as we license public hacks, do 
not come up to the expectation of the 
stranger who has read of them in ro- 
mances and poems. The gondolas are 
about thirty feet in length, with high iron 
prows, and are, by a law of the city dating 
three hundred years back, all painted 
black having in their centre a black cabin 
something like the body of a hearse, either 
painted or covered with black cloth, into 
which four persons can with difficulty be 
crowded. Instead of being gay and bright 
and beautiful, as we had supposed, they 
are a gloomy and deathly-looking craft, 
about thirty feet in length, but with two 
gondoliers can be made to move through 
the water with great rapidity. The gon- 
dolier stands up when propelling his boat, 
and if there is but one he uses but one oar, 
but guides his vessel through the intrica- 
cies of the canals without grazing the 
sharp angles which he is required to turn, 
or even checking his speed. A gondola 
is sometiTues met belonging to private 
parties, who keep them the same as we do 
carriages. These have gayer fittings, and 
the gondolier will be arrayed probably in 



white, with pink sashes ; but the common 
gondolier of Venice is about as plain in 
apparel and general get-up as one of our 
ferrymen. They are very active men, 
and are about as sharp in getting more 
than the law allows out of their passen- 
gers, especially if they happen to be 
strangers, as some of our hackmen are. 
The Grand Canal is always lined with 
them, moving about with passengers, and 
they can make short cuts by passing 
through the small canals, on which a 
goodly number are always running. 

STROLL THROUGU THE CITY. 

We started about nine o'clock for a 
stroll around the Square of St. Mark 
and some of the contiguous streets. Every- 
thing appeared to be precisely as we 
left it one year ago, except the scaffolding 
on one side of the Cathedral of St. Mark 
indicated the repairing of its ancient 
walls. The stores made precisely the 
same display under the arcades ; the pet 
pigeons of the city were billing and coo- 
ing on the piazza ; the fruit-shops were 
all as well supplied with the varieties for 
which Italy is famous ; the same men, 
women, and children appeared to be 
" cheaping around" among the provision 
stores for their Sunday dinners ; and an 
old sexagenarian whom we saw daily a 
year ago sitting in the door of a poultry 
shop picking chickens was still engaged 
at the same artistical work. 

It seems strange that in building the 
city all these small canals were not filled 
up, and the whole joined into one solid 
island. The proba])ility, on the contrary, 
is that many of the canals were made to 
accommodate the taste of the people, who 
had been literally born on the water, and 
must have it at their doors, so as to come 
and go in their boats. This seems more 
reasonable than to suppose that in the 
small space occupied by the city there 
should have originally been one hundred 
and fourteen little islands. The sides of 
the canals are almost invariably the walls 
of the houses, and they appear to have 
secured excellent foundations. 

Although there are old palaces scat- 
tered through the city on the other canals, 
all the men of great wealth and distinction 
have their palaces on the Grand Canal. 
The gondolier, on passing through, re- 
cites to you the names of each, Avith the 
character of their owners, all of which you 
care as little about as what was the color 
of the hair of those who built them. 
But they go on in a kind of monotonous 
song, from which can be gathered the 



230 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



names of Foscari, Mocenigo, Pisani, Bar- 
barigo, etc. 

THE STREETS OF VENICE. 

The streets of Venice are so narrow that 
with us they would be called lanes and 
alleys, the generality of them being not 
more than six to twelve feet wide from 
house to house. They form the most in- 
comprehensible net-work imaginable, — a 
labyrinth from which the stranger will 
find it difficult to extricate himself if he 
should ventui-e abroad without a guide. 
The whole city can be traversed without 
recourse to the water, but it would re- 
quire a walk of a quarter of a mile to go 
from one house fronting on the Grand 
Canal to another five doors off. These 
lanes are all paved with broad slabs of 
stone, and are kept very clean. It must 
be remembered that there are no horses 
in Venice, and no streets to use them in. 
We have only seen one here, and it was 
in a boat going down the Grand Canal. 
Where he came from, or where he was 
going to, or what he was intended for, 
it would be difficult to say. We are 
credibly informed that there are many 
persons who have never seen a horse, 
unless they were the four bronze horses 
in front of the Cathedral of St. Mark. 
In the whole city of Venice, with the 
exception of a botanical garden on one 
of the outer islands, and a park upon 
another, there is scarcely a tree or a 
particle of foliage to be found, except in 
flower-pots. 

We took a very extended walk this 
morning, and, although we have had no 
difficulty in finding our way in the 
vicinity of St. Mark's, we no sooner 
penetrated into the interior towards the 
Rlalto bridge than we found ourselves 
involved in a puzzle. We started for the 
Rialto, and just at the moment when we 
had concluded that we had gotten back 
to near the point we started from, turned 
a corner and the bridge was before us. 
After finishing our examination, we turned 
to walk back, and in about ten minutes 
found ourselves at the bridge again. 
Three times we came out at the same 
point, and the fourth time, after in- 
numerable twists and turns, found our- 
selves in the rear of St. Mark's, when we 
had been striking for our hotel, about a 
quarter of a mile distant. The difficulty 
is that one must follow the streets wherever 
they lead. One is continually puzzled 
to know whether he should turn to the 
right or left when a cross -street is 
reached. Wo, however, found in our 



wanderings quite a number of open 
squares, one of them about as large as 
Monument Square, all jjaved smoothly 
with broad blocks of granite, and generally 
having a well in the centre. Some of the 
streets also widen at certain points fur 
a short distance, and these are lined with 
a better class of stores. All the streets, 
however, over twelve feet in width, are oc- 
cupied by stores, many of them making 
quite a fine display of jewelry, dry-goods, 
and fancy wai-es, but the great majority 
are devoted to the sale of eatables of one 
kind or another. The poultry stores, of 
which there are a great number, keep tea- 
cups full of the blood of fowls for sale, 
the Venice physicians ordering the drink- 
ing of blood, instead of using iron, for the 
benefit of the blood. The patients stop 
and drink this strange dose, all coagulated 
as it is, and move on, satisfied that they 
have received new life from the dose. 

PUBLIC GARDEN, 

Venice has one public garden, for 
which she is indebted to Bonapai'te. When 
he held the city, in 1807, he demolished 
four churches, cloisters, and whole streets 
of houses, and filled up several canals and 
diverted others. On this site he laid out 
a beautiful garden, which is the only 
lireathing-spot, except the Piazza of St. 
Mark and the quay, for the city of Venice. 
There are in the garden a coffee-house, a 
riding-school, a place for shooting at the 
mark with pistols, and for other popular 
amusements. The avenues of the garden 
serve for promenades, and, it being located 
on the open bay, it is generally reached 
by gondolas, but with equal facility on 
foot. The view from the artificial height 
near the pavilion overlooks the mirror 
of the lagoons, with their many small 
islands in the distance, everywhere lift- 
ing their churches, cloisters, and slender 
towers into the air. In addition to all 
this entrancing variety of land and water 
views, a gleam of the open Adriatic is 
caught through the entrance of the port. 

CHURCHES AND BELLS. 

The number of churches, all of them 
large and imposing in their architectural 
features, and bearing evidence of great 
antiquity, are met at every turn, all of 
them open with services progressing at 
all hours. We, however, discovered one, 
quite an elegant old establishment, its 
front abounding with pillars, statues of 
saints, and bas-reliefs, which had been 
given up to trade. It was occupied as a 
i second-hand furniture establishment, with 



AMEBIC AN SPECTACLES. 



231 



a sprinkling of old clothes. From the 
list of churches we found that there are 
just one hundred Catholic churches in 
Venice. There are also one Evangelical 
church, one synagogue, and one Greek 
Catholic church. The services of the 
English Church take place every Sunday, 
at the dwelling of the Consul. The ring- 
ing of bells, of which there appears to be 
a great superabundance, is not equaled 
by Rome. In the Square of St. Mark 
there are no less than five clocks, with 
large bells, that all strike the hours and 
quarters about the same time. One of 
them, over the City Hall, has two full- 
sized bronze statues, one of which strikes 
the hours on the bell with a sledge-hammer, 
and the other strikes the quarters. The 
bell is suspended so that the figures stand 
out by its side, and their movements have 
a very natural appearance. 

Venice, July 8, 1873. 

NOT A FINISHED CITY. 

It takes some time to explore Venice, 
both by land and water; and the excur- 
sions we have made, on foot and by gon- 
dola, during the past two days, have 
shown us that there are evidences of 
revival and improvement everywhere. 
Even the dust of ages is being scrubbed 
off of the walls of the Doge's palace, and 
the Cathedral of St. Mark is undergoing 
ablution and renovation. Whilst taking 
an airing this evening on the Grand 
Canal, we observed several new and 
handsome white marble buildings, which 
have taken the place of old specimens of 
antiquity, and that many old palaces 
which were last year gloomy and deso- 
late ai"e now bustling places of business. 
An intelligent citizen assured us this 
evening that at no time within the last 
fifty years has the future of Venice been 
more promising, and that it is undergoing 
a gradual and healthy improvement in 
every branch of trade and commerce. 

A GONDOLA-RIDE. 

We spent the evening yesterday in ex- 
ploring the water-thoroughfares of the 
city. As we moved along up the Grand 
Canal, which is about as wide as Broad- 
way, with its compact line of buildings 
on each side, nearly all four to five stories 
in height, including many large and 
elegant public buildings and venerable 
palaces, the appearance was that of a city 
temporarily flooded. That it was in its 
natural condition, no one who was brought 
here blindfolded and set afloat in a gon- 
dola, without knowing where he was, 



could possibly believe. The signs of 
merchants and business-men were over 
the elegant doorways, and boats and 
barges were about the doors just as they 
would be in Marsh Market Space if Jones's 
Falls should again make a Venice of that 
region, whilst the city authorities are 
exerting themselves with so much energy 
and perseverance to discover "how not 
to do it." 

After proceeding nearly a mile up the 
Grand Canal, and passing under the 
massive but elegant stone arch of the 
Rialto bridge, we turned off through one 
of the small canals, not more than eight 
feet in width, with the walls of two im- 
mense palaces towering over our hejads on 
each side. It seemed like going in a boat 
through a side-alley ; but the gondolier 
handled his oar with such skill that we 
neither grazed nor touched the walls, 
and were soon moving along through the 
wider interior channels, among houses 
and stores with their iron-grated windows. 
Every moment other parties in gondolas, 
including many ladies, passed us, turning 
corners, angles, and curves, but never 
coming in collision or touching each other. 
We passed under hundreds of arched 
bi-idges, all of them light and graceful 
stone or marble structures, excepting a few 
made of iron. The level of the water being 
only about two feet below the level of the 
streets, it is necessary that all the bridges 
should be raised arches, so that the gondo- 
lier, who invariably stands in his vessel, 
should be able to pass under them with- 
out changing his position. Men and 
boys, some of the latter being small 
children, were swimming and diving 
from the doors and bridges, and mothers 
and sisters were looking on from the 
doors and windows. It was altogether a 
novel scene, such as can be seen nowhere 
except in Venice. Mothers and fathers 
could be seen with their small childi-en 
afloat on boards, teaching them to swim, 
having ropes tied to the boards. We 
finally emerged from this net-work of 
canals into the Grand Canal, a short 
distance above the Doge's palace and 
the Bridge of Sighs. Here ocean-steam- 
ers and vessels of all classes were dis- 
charging or taking on cargoes, and there 
were all the evidences of active commer- 
cial prosperity. A steamer for Liver- 
pool was just taking her departure, and 
one of the Austrian Lloyds' steamers 
about to depart for Trieste. Steamboats 
crowded with people were coming and 
going from the outer islands, of which 
there are six or seven, too distant to be 



232 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



connected by bridges with the main por- 
tion of the city, one of which is a favorite 
resort of the people, and occupied prin- 
cipally with gardens for the sale of 
refreshments. After an hour spent in 
rowing about near the entrance to the 
harbor, we returned to our hotel, well 
pleased with our evening's ride. 

There are three or four of these interior 
canals that are nearly twenty feet in 
width, and one in the neighborhood of 
the Ghetto, or Jews' quarter, is over 
thirty feet wide, while many others range 
from twelve to twenty feet. The fronts 
of the buildings on the interior canals 
are very rough, and give evidence of 
the work of age in their decayed bricks. 
Repairs of many of these are in progress, 
which seems to be a matter of necessity 
in most cases. As the gondola glides 
through these water-ways, surrounded by 
tall and dismal brick walls with grated 
windows, the scene is novel, but not 
picturesque, though it is somewhat re- 
lieved when the bridges are passed. The 
lower stories, there being no cellars, are 
always used for that purpose, and the 
altitude of the second-story windows for- 
bids the sight of any portion of the family 
department. A fair face can occasionally 
be seen from the balcony above, or the 
prattle of children and the sound of song 
and merriment are heard, but they seem 
out of place in such surroundings. Some 
glances we have obtained of the interior 
of these houses satisfy us that they must 
not be judged from outside appearance. 

VENETIAN NEWSBOYS. 

One year ago there were no daily news- 
papers published in Venice, but there are 
now three quite prosperous daily jour- 
nals. Their rivalry has led to the intro- 
duction of those sure marks of com- 
mercial and industrial prosperity, the 
newsboys. These youngsters, a year ago, 
aspired to nothing beyond the sale of 
matches and shell bracelets, and made 
their appeals to the strangers with a 
whine, or the exhibition of their rags, to 
induce a purchase by exciting sympathy. 
Now they strut about as independent 
and unabashed as the American newsboy, 
shouting, La Gazzetta, La Stampa, etc., 
as if they had suddenly become an im- 
portant class in the community. Instead 
of the whining plaint of their match- 
days, they are full of spirit and wit, and 
crack jokes with the purchaser. They 
have even become importers of foreign 
goods, and have on sale, for their Eng- 
lish, American, and German customers, 



Galignani'' s Messenger, the American 
Register, the Swiss Times, and the Neue 
Freie Presse. There is also that other 
sure evidence of a growing city, the boot- 
black, who has stationed himself on the 
corners of all the principal thoroughfares. 
Venice has its telegraph and cable, and 
is in momentary communication with all 
the outside world. After its thousand 
years of war and strife to maintain its 
supremacy, it is now reaping the fruits 
of peace under the banner of " united 
Italy," free at last from Austrian rule. 
The Venetian detests the name of Aus- 
tria, and involuntarily scowls if he is 
asked if he can speak the German lan- 
guage. 

THE VENICE BOURSE. 

The Stock Board of Venice is located 
in the National Library building, on the 
Piazzetta of St. Mark, and will compare 
favorably in all its appointments with 
even the new quarters of a similar or- 
ganization in an American city with 
which we are familiar. It occupies all 
the rooms surrounding a beautiful court- 
yard, in the centre of which is a fountain, 
and a little temple, on the top of which 
is a beautiful statue of Apollo. Gold 
here commands a premium of twelve per 
cent, at the present time. Speculating 
in gold is, however, unlawful, it being 
regarded as calculated to depreciate the 
paper money of the country and thus 
injure its financial standing. In the pas- 
sage-way of this building are two colos- 
sal statues in threatening attitude, proba- 
bly intended to represent the " bulls" 
and the " bears," though, as business had 
not commenced when we entered, all 
present were as quiet as lambs. Two 
colossal statues of women at another en- 
trance were suggestive of WoodhuU and 
Claflin. The rooms on the four sides 
of the court have evidently been recently 
renovated, us even the walls and the caps 
of the niches of Italian marble seemed 
entirely new, as did all the furniture and 
appointments. In various parts of the 
vestibule quite handsome bulletin-boards, 
each giving quotations at London, Paris, 
Vienna, Trieste, etc., were suspended. 
The floors are laid in white marble, and 
the rooms all open on the court-yard. 
An elegant doorway, with marble steps, 
opens on one of the canals, at which 
the gondolas land the bankers and money- 
kings of Venice, whose places of busi- 
ness are generally on the Grand Canal, 
at some distance from the Bourse. The 
money-men of Europe generally hide 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



23c 



themselves away in some remote corner 
of the cities, and do not even have out a 
sign. They evidently know that those 
who want them must find tliem, and tliat 
money never fears competition. The 
kings and princes of the Bourse are be- 
coming a more important element in Eu- 
rope than the kings and princes "born 
in the purple," and their reign is more 
enduring. The leading bankers every- 
where appeared to be Israelites. 

THE GAY GONDOLIER. 

After a few days' experience with the 
gondolier, we are compelled to recognize 
him as a jovial, good-natured fellow, who 
does his best to amuse and interest the 
traveler, and is satisfied with a moderate 
recognition of his services. The prices 
are regulated by law, and a party of four 
is charged, for a gondola with one rower, 
for the first hour one franc (about twenty 
cents), and for every subsequent hour a 
half-franc. If there are two gondoliers, 
double the price is the legal charge. 
Strangers usually pay them more than 
the law prescribes: hence they labor to 
please and acjommodate. An American 
especially considers the charge as shame- 
fully cheap, and cheerfully disregards its 
provisions. There are thousands of gon- 
dolas always in motion for business or 
pleasure, and quite a number are kept by 
private families, which can be seen emerg- 
ing from the small canals into the Grand 
Canal as soon as the sun gets behind the 
lofty houses. These private establish- 
ments are compelled to have their craft 
black, as prescribed by law, but they are 
usually richly ornamented with plated 
standards and handsome awnings and 
cushions. The greatest points of display, 
however, are the dress of the gondolier 
and the skill with which he handles the 
oar. Some of the gondolas present quite 
a gay appearance when filled with hand- 
some and well-dressed ladies and children. 
The dress of the private gondoliers is 
usually white, trimmed with blue, green, 
or yellow, wearing rich silk sashes of the 
same color, and a straw hat with flowing 
ribbon. The dress of all the gondoliers 
is prescribed by law, but most of the 
public water Jehus totally disregard its 
provisions, and seem to select their wear- 
ing-apparel from the second-hand-clothes 
stoi es. 

An innovation has recently been made 
in the introduction of " omnibus-gondo- 
las," carrying from six to a dozen per- 
sons, with three or four gondoliers. The 
price on these is about five cents per hour 



for each person. To the out«». islands, 
which are from one to two miles from St. 
Mark's, at which the bathing-establish- 
ments and refreshment-saloons are located, 
small steamers run hourly, the fare being 
only about two cents, or ten centimes. 

A FIRE-PROOF CITY. 

Venice is essentially a fire-proof city 
from necessity, as there is no room in its 
narrow streets for the passage of an en- 
gine larger than a wheelbarrow, and no 
water-supply, except such as can be 
baled with buckets from the canals. The 
founders and builders of Venice were 
" wise in their day and generation " when 
they decreed that as few combustible ma- 
terials as practicable should be used in 
the construction of their houses, and that 
wood should nowhere be used where it 
was possible to employ stone. With our 
inflammable houses, Venice would not 
have existed twelve hundred days instead 
of twelve hundred years. They decreed 
that there must be no such thing as 
•' fires," because their plan permitted of 
no opportunity for extinguishment. The 
narrowness of the streets, with inflam- 
mable houses, would necessarily involve 
the whole city. There are, of course, 
tires at times, but they are extinguished 
with the primitive " machine" called a 
bucket, and very seldom extend beyond 
the room in which they originate. Fire- 
insurance companies are not deemed of 
much account in Venice, a fact which it 
would be well for insurance solicitors to 
remember. 

VENICE AS IT IS. 

Every one has heard of Venice, and nearly 
every one has formed some idea from what 
they have read of the character and peculi- 
arities of this strange old city. Thus it 
is that every one who comes here for the 
first time finds that their previously 
formed ideas are wrong, and that Venice is 
an entirely difi"erent city from that which 
they expected to find. There is no city 
in the world which the tourist approaches 
with more curiosity than he does Venice, 
and there is probably no city which the 
great untraveled public more generally 
desire an opportunity to inspect. AVe 
will, therefore, during our present visit, 
undertake the rather difiicult task of en- 
deavoring to make our readers see exactly 
what we see, and to know Venice as it is, 
rather than as they imagined it to be. In 
order to do this it will be necessary to com- 
pile a brief sketch of the history of Venice, 
and how it happened that this city in the 



234 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



sea rose to such greatness and impor- 

HISTORY OF VENICE. 

When the Roman Empire was de- 
stroyed in the sixth century, about twelve 
hundred years ago, by the barbarians, 
the inhabitants of Padova, Albino, and 
Aquileja, on the Italian coast, calling 
themselves Venetians, had their cities also 
destroyed by the same hordes. The in- 
habitants of these towns took refuge in 
the islands of the lagoons on which Yen- 
ice now stands, and formed a republic. 
They soon commenced an active trade 
with the East, and engaged extensively 
in commerce. In the year 697 they felt 
the want of a united government, and 
elected their first Doge, or President, 
Pauluccio Anafesto. It was not, how- 
ever, until the year 819 that Doge Angelo 
Participazio transported the seat of gov- 
ernment from Malaniocco to Rialto, near 
the site of the famous E-ialto bridge, and 
commenced to join the little islands by 
bridges, thus laying the foundation of 
the present city. In spite of civil wars, 
the power of Venice in the following cen- 
turies grew rapidly, and her greatness 
atoned for the stern political cruelties 
during the epoch of the crusades. In 
1204, the Venetian republic, under Doge 
Henry Dandolo, conquered Constantino- 
ple, aided by the French crusaders, which 
led to the division of the Oriental Empire, 
and gave to Venice the shores of the 
Adriatic, and many islands, among which 
was Candia. During the next hundred 
years the Venetians kept up bloody wars 
against the Genoese, and it was not until 
1352 that they obtained a complete tri- 
umph over their Genoese rivals. During 
the twelve years preceding 1380 the Ital- 
ians and Hungarians carried on a fierce 
war against Venice, and it was finally 
blockaded by the Genoese for a whole 
year, Avhon Venice was compelled to sur- 
render unconditionally. When peace was 
declared, Venice lost all her possessions 
on the continent, after having been com- 
pelled to yield Dalmatia to the King of 
Hungary. In spite of tliese disasters, 
Venice continued to war against her op- 
pressors for the next forty years, and in 
1421 reconquered the whole Dalmatian 
coast, from the Po to Corfu. 

Towards the end of the fifteenth cen- 
tury the glory of Venice reached its ut- 
most height, and her population exceeded 
twi> hundred thousand souls. She was 
the centre of the commerce of the world, 
and was admired and respected by all 
Europe. Her fall began in the sixteenth 



century, by the discovery of the new way 
to India via the Cape of Good Hope, 
when nearly all her commerce passed into 
the hands of the Portuguese. She con- 
tinued steadily to decline, until she re- 
ceived her greatest blow from the ascend- 
ency which the Turks obtained in Europe 
and Asia, and between the years 1509 
and 1540 lost all her possessions. 

It was then that Venice lost her im- 
portance in history. She remained neu- 
tral in the great wars which succeeded, 
and her power became less and less. At 
the beginning of the French Revolution 
she opposed the opinions of the socialists, 
but when the French were victorious in 
their wars, Venice tried to maintain a 
neutral position, declining the alliance of 
Bonaparte. This irritated him, and he 
broke the negotiations and occupied the 
city on the IGth of May, 1797. Under 
the French government the city became 
poorer and poorer, and the Venetian pop- 
ulation was finally reduced to ninety-six 
thousand souls. In subsequent wars 
Venice was given to Austria, and then to 
Italy, and finally, in 1814, passed again 
to the possession of Austria. 

In 1848 Venice revolted from the Aus- 
trians, and proclaimed a republic; but 
after a heroic defense, and a siege of 
fifteen months, suifering famine and the 
other misfortunes of a siege, and the 
ravages of cholera in its most malignant 
form, she was compelled to capitulate 
again to the Austrians. The war of 1859, 
broken by the peace of Villafranca, left 
Venice to the Austrians, but the one of 
1866 gave her to the kingdom of Italy, 
in consequence of the united votes of the 
people, which took place in October of 
the same year. The city is again pros- 
pering under the Italian government, 
and the people appear to be happy. Per- 
fect i-eligious freedom is enjoyed, and 
Venice now hopes to go on improving 
anil prospering under the reign of peace. 

THE ISLANDS AND CANALS. 

Before proceeding further, it will be 
necessary to convey to the reader some 
idea of the character of the territory upon 
which Venice is built. In the first place, 
it must be borne in mind that the city is 
built upon one hundred and fourteen little 
islands, the streams running between 
them, with the excejjtion of the Grand 
Canal, being seldom more than twenty 
feet in width. The tide from the sea rises 
and falls and flows through these canals, 
which are to the number of three hundred 
and forty-one, keeping the water always 



A MEBICAN SPECTA GL ES. 



235 



pure and healthy. Indeed, many of the 
lateral canals are scarcely more than 
twelve feet in width. Out of these canals 
the houses all rise abruptly, and their prin- 
cipal front and entrance always faces the 
canal, visitors stepping from the boat on 
to the door-sill. The houses of Venice 
have no yards, side-alleys, or any vacant 
ground connected with them. One end 
is on a canal, and the other on a narrow 
lane, or perhaps backed up solid against a 
neighbor's house. The city is " finished," 
because there is scarcely room left large 
enough to erect a lime-shed, except on the 
distant outlying islands. It is compact 
and solid, with the exception of some 
small squares or court-yards left near the 
churches. 

THE STREETS OF VENICE. 

Those who suppose that Venice cannot 
be thoroughly explored by the pedestrian 
without resort to the gondolas and the 
canals are equally mistaken. It is pro- 
vided with bridges, most of them very 
elegant little structures, of white marble 
or iron, to the enormous number of three 
himdred and seventy-eight. They are all 
arched bridges, springing up to the centre, 
so as to afford free passage under them 
for the gondolas. There is no street, or 
rather lane or alley, in Venice, which 
leads to a canal, that is not provided with 
a bridge, so that those who know how to 
find their way can make as much speed 
from pi lint to point as if using a gondola. 
Both the streets and canals, with the ex- 
ception of the Grand Canal, are so crooked 
that one hundred yards ahead can seldom 
be seen on either; indeed, fifty yards 
would be nearer the mark. They both 
turn and twist with equal facility, and it 
would require a long time for any one to 
become thoroughly familiar with them. 
The canals all intersect each other, and 
thus it becomes necessary to lay out the 
streets so as to meet the turnings of the 
canals. 

THE PIAZZA or ST. MARK. 

The great central attraction of Venice 
is St. Mark's Square, and, although it 
presents an irregular quadrangle, it is 
undoubtedly the finest square in all the 
world for the elegant magnificence of 
surrounding structures. Across the east 
end of the square the Cathedral of St. 
Mark stands out as the most prominent 
feature, with its three domes and numer- 
ous steeples. In the left corner of the 
square, facing the cathedral, stands the 
Campanile, or bell-tower, which rises to 



the height of three hundred feet, its base 
being thirty-eight feet wide, and its width 
at the top thirty-five feet. The base of 
this tower is very beautiful, and is finely 
ornamented with sculpture and statuary. 
On the south side of the square are the 
old City Hall and Clock Tower, on the 
west the Doge's palace, and on the north 
side the new City Hall and one side 
of the Old Library. These buildings all, 
with the exception of the cathedral, 
stand together in close order and con- 
stitute the outlines of the square. The 
lower story of all forms a continuous 
colonnade, similar to that around the in- 
terior of the Palais Royal at Paris, and 
like it, also, this story is occupied by 
stores and cafes on the three sides of the 
square. The entire square is paved with 
smooth blocks of granite interspersed 
with iron pillars, bearing clusters of gas- 
jets, whilst another line of illumination 
extends along the entire fronts. The 
buildings fi'onting the square are all of 
white marble, four stories high, and 
adorned with an abundance of statuary. 
The entire length of the square is five 
hundred and forty feet, and the width 
two hundred and forty-six feet, whilst 
the Piazzetta leading past the palace of 
the Doges and the Old Library, which is 
really a portion of the square, is three 
hundred and eleven feet long by one 
hundred and forty -six in width, extending 
down to the water's edge, at the mouth 
of the Grand Canal. 

Directly in front of the cathedral, at 
the distance of about fifty feet, there 
stand three flag-staffs, each about one 
hundred feet in height, the lower part to 
the height of about ten feet being en- 
cased in elaborately ornamented bronze 
bases. From these three staffs there 
were suspended on Sunday three immense 
Italian national flags, each not less than 
thirty feet in length, which were raised 
at the commencement and lowered at the 
termination of the cathedral services for 
the day. 

On the Piazzetta, immediately facing the 
Grand Canal, are two majestic pillars of 
Oriental granite, not less in diameter 
than those before the Pantheon at Home. 
These grand columns were brought to 
Venice in the year 1127 by Doge Michael, 
who found them lying on an island in 
the Grecian Archipelago, on his return 
from the Holy Land. There were origi- 
nally three of them, but one was lost 
overboard in debarkation. They lay for 
forty-four years on their sides, after their 
arrival, no one being found to undertake 



236 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



the putting of them up. In the year 
1371, a man named Niccolu undertook to 

{)ut them on the bases prepared for them. 
le was called " barattier" (a man who 
cheats in gaming), and exacted for his ser- 
vices the privilege of keeping a gaming- 
table between them. This was allowed 
for nearly two hundred years, but the 
permission was rescinded in the year 
1529, and the wooden shops were broken 

On the top of one of these ancient pil- 
lars, which doubtless antedate the birth 
of Christ, is the famous winged lion of 
St. Mark's Church, which was carried to 
Paris by Napoleon, and on the other the 
stone statue of St. Theodore, the ancient 
spiritual protector of Venice, before he 
was deposed by St. Mark. 

ST. mark's on SUNDAY. 

Sunday was an excessively warm day, 
even in the shade, but in the rays of the 
sun it was almost beyond human endur- 
ance. Whilst strolling through the city, 
we stopped on every bridge to catch a 
breath of cool air as it swept up these 
water-thnroughfares from the Adriatic. 
Those of the inhabitants whose dwellings 
faced on the canal could get along very 
well, but the denizens of the narrow 
streets had a hard time of it. Many of 
these streets are so narrow that we found 
on trial that we could stand in the middle 
and lay the palms of our hands upon 
both walls. The people were protruding 
their heads from the windows of their 
tall four-story houses, and anxiously 
waiting for the setting sun and their 
evening promenade and music in the 
Square of St. Mark. As early as six 
o'clock in the evening they commenced 
to pour in, all classes commingling, and 
by eight o'clock this vast space, as well 
as what is called the Piazzetta, or Little 
Square, running towards the Grand Ca- 
nal, were thronged to their utmost capa- 
city. Soon after a fine military band took 
position in the centre of the square, and 
the grand promenade commenced, whilst 
thousands were partaking of ice-cream 
and lemonade, seated at the caf^s on the 
side of the squai-e. The music was kept 
up until nearly eleven o'clock, when the 
people slowly, and apparently with great 
reluctance, commenced to retire to their 
homes. Along the front of the Doge's 
palace, and near the Bridge of Sighs, the 
throng of people remained enjoying the 
cool air from the sea until after mid- 
night. 

No such scene as this Sunday even- 



ing gathering in the Square of St. Mark 
can be seen anywhere else in Europe, 
the whole space being brilliantly illumi- 
nated by hundreds of gas-jets. Of course 
all the strangers in the city were here 
also, and the number at this warm season 
is truly surprising. 

During our afternoon stroll we found 
the interior canals swarming with boys 
and men swimming, all wearing swim- 
ming-clothes, as required by law. They 
were diving out of their front doors and 
windows, and off the bridges, like so 
many amphibious animals, whilst the 
gondolas were flying along and gliding 
past them, mostly with parties of ladies 
taking their evening airing. Tourists, 
both ladies and gentlemen, traveling in 
Europe, become familiarized with the 
sight of half-nude men and boys, and 
are generally thankful when it is no 
worse. 

THE CRIES OF VENICE. 

The street-cries of Venice are very nu- 
merous, and the voices of the vendors ring 
with a peculiar shrillness through the 
quiet streets. There being neither carts, 
horses, nor vehicles of any kind in the 
city, it has none of the usual noises of 
other communities, but the gondoliers, as 
they glide along under our window, give 
out their cries with an earnestness that 
is at times quite startling. Among others 
are men carrying demijohns of water, 
with lime-juice, which they sell at two 
centimes, or less than half a cent, a glass. 
Others sell candied fruits, and various 
articles not usually found in the stores. 
The cries of these people are of course in 
Italian, a language peculiarly fitted for 
shrill but smooth flowing notes. 

THE VENICE CANALS. 

The Grand Canal winds through the 
city of Venice, being traced on the map 
in the shape of the letter S. It varies 
somewhat, but is probably about one 
hundred and twenty-five feet in width for 
most of its length. It has but two bridges 
across it, the Rialto and the Ponte di 
Ferro, the first being of stone, and the 
latter a modern iron structure. The 
main canal is not navigable for vessels 
drawing more than six feet of Avater, ex- 
cept at its immediate mouth. All the com- 
mercial business of the city was formerly 
kept at deep water along the city front east 
of the Doge's palace, which is in reality 
the open sea, and the Grand Canal was 
the favorite location for the palaces of 
the great men of the nation. Now, how- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



237 



ever, these old palaces are for the main 
part given up to business, or are used as 
hotels. We are now writing in an old 
palace, and much of the gilded furniture 
of its day of greatness is scattered through 
the house. Barges and lighters now pass 
up the Grand Canal, and load and un- 
load at the doors of what were formerly 
palaces. In all the other canals nothing 
larger than a gondola is allowed to en- 
ter. Many of these are of course devoted 
to the business of carrying, and do the 
work of our carts and wagons. 

STORES OF VENICE. 

The jewelry and fancy stores which sur- 
round the extensive Piazza of St. Mark 
will compare favorably for their fine dis- 
■olay and their stocks of valuable goods 
with those of Vienna. So also in many 
of the stores in its narrow thoroughfares 
leading from the Piazza. All the fine 
mosaics of Italy, including the Florentine, 
Roman, and Byzantine, as well as corals 
and diamonds, can be purchased in Venice 
as cheap as anywhere else in Europe, pro- 
vided the purchaser will bear in mind that 
the first price named is always fully one- 
third more than they will be willing to 
sell at. The best plan is to select what 
you want, ascertain the price, and then 
offer one-third less. You will then be 
told that if you pay in gold you can have 
them at this "ruinous rate." Put on 
your hat and propose to leave, and Italian 
paper money, which is twenty-two per 
cent, below gold, will be accepted. They 
make it a rule never to allow a purchaser 
to leave their establishments. In some 
of these narrow thoroughfiires, where 
more than three persons would find it 
diflScult to walk abreast, there are also 
many very fine dry-goods establishments, 
grocery and furniture stores, but the ma- 
jority of them are for the sale of pro- 
visions and fruits, coSee, or confectionery, 
or are beer-saloons. There are here, as 
elsewhere on the Continent, very few 
places where intoxicating liquors can be 
had, — no gin-palaces or i-um-shops. In- 
deed, beer and wine are not drunk to any 
great extent in public, and beer can only 
be had at the restaurants where meals 
are furnished. The principal thorough- 
fares were thronged on Sunday with peo- 
ple of all classes, and many ladies were 
passing and repassing on their way to 
and from church with veils over their 
heads, a lady never going to church in 
Venice with a bonnet on. On their way 
home they would stop to do their shop- 
ping, and then move on. 



FEEDING THE PIGEONS. 

The pigeons of Venice, of which there 
are thousands, have not only the freedom 
of the city, but are fed at two o'clock every 
afternoon in the Square of St. INIark at 
the public expense. They are the pets 
of the people, and to injure or throw a 
stone at one of them would cause the per- 
petrator to be sent to the guard-house. 
They not only make their nests among 
the statuary and the ornamental portions 
of St. Mark's Cathedral and the eaves of 
the elegant structures surrounding the 
square, but the windows of the lofts of 
these buildings are left open and free 
access is given to them. Thus they have 
multiplied to many thousands, and have 
scattered all over the city, making their 
nests among the statuary of all the old 
churches. 

At two o'clock yesterday afternoon we 
repaired to the square to witness the pro- 
cess of feeding. At the moment the 
bronze man on the town-clock struck the 
first blow announcing two o'clock, they 
came in by thousands, and swept up the 
square towards the window from which 
they are daily fed, and hundreds of them 
even entered the room. The man who 
does the feeding was entirely hidden from 
view, and the scramble of the bii'ds indi- 
cated that the strongest fared best. A 
few minutes before the window was opened 
a boy placed a little paper of corn in the 
hands of one of our party. On throwing 
some of it on the pavement, the pigeons 
literally swarmed over us, and partook 
of the food from our hands. 

As to the meaning of this care for the 
pigeons, there is no settled theory. It is 
said by some that on one occasion during 
the Venetian wars, whilst Admiral Dan- 
dolo was besieging Candia, at the com- 
mencement of the thirteenth century, a 
carrier-pigeon brought him important in- 
formation from the islands. It has been 
a custom for centuries thus to feed them, 
and the old chroniclers differ as to its 
origin. One says that on Palm-Sunday 
it was the custom to loose pigeons, many 
of which repaired for shelter to St. Mark's, 
and, multiplying with time, they remained 
around the square as the best place for 
obtaining food. The practice of main- 
taining pigeons at public expense is very 
general in Russia and Persia, as well as 
among the Arabs, and the custom might 
easily have been carried thither by Vene- 
tian merchants. Other authors assert 
that, although the city is credited with 
feeding the pigeons, they are in reality 



238 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



fed and cared for by the liberality of 
an old lady, who left a large amount to 
be expended for this purpose. The stained 
and blackened condition of the marble 
structures on this square is in a great 
measure due to the pigeons. 

Venice, July 10, 1873. 

THE SURROUNDINGS OP VENICE. 

The population of Venice is now one 
hundred and thirty-seven thousand, it 
having largely increased and improved 
since it passed out of the hands of Aus- 
tria and became a part of the dominion 
of Italy under Victor Emmanuel. It is 
only separated from the mainland of Italy 
by a swamp or lagoon, the depth of the 
water between the nearest of the islands 
and the shore being only from two to five 
or six feet, mainly covered with reeds and 
water-plants. The outer of the islands, 
comprising Venice, has a bridge nearly 
two miles in length (twelve thousand 
feet) and thirty feet in breadth, which 
crosses the lagoon over which the Lom- 
bardo-Venetian Railroad run their cars 
to the depot in Venice. This bridge is 
formed of two large earthworks, one in 
Venice and the other on the mainland, 
five expansions, of which a large one is 
in the middle, as well as two hundred and 
twenty-two arches, with one hundred and 
eighty isolated and thirty-six united pil- 
lars of Italian marble. The traveler 
arriving at Venice from Italy or France 
is thus landed in the city. On the sea- 
ward side of the one hundred and fourteen 
little islands which comprise the heart of 
Venice there are about twenty other 
islands, too distant to be united by 
bridges, which also constitute part of 
Venice. The principal of these islands 
are called Giudecca, San Giorgio Mag- 
giore, San Servilio, San Lazzaro, San Vec- 
chio. Lido, San Andrea, La Certosa, Santa 
Elena, San Clemente, La Grazia, San 
Spirito, Poveglia, Malamocco, Sotto Ma- 
rino, San Michele, Murano, Mazzorbo, 
Burano, and Tonello. 

La Giudecca is divided from the city by 
a broad canal, and is itself subdivided by 
seven small canals, bridged as are those 
of Venice, and is really eight small 
islands. It has three thousand inhabit- 
ants, and two of the finest and largest 
churches of the city are located here, as 
well as a number of the most elegant pal- 
aces, it having been the favorite resort 
of the nobility. On this island are the 
brick-yards which furnish Venice. The 
greatest Church festival of the year takes 
place at the Church del Redentore, on 



which occasion it is united to the mainland 
by two temporary bridges of boats. Tlie 
principal festivities of the day usually 
take place in the evening, on the water, 
when a multitude of gondolas, all deco- 
rated with flowers and colored lamps, pass 
and repass from shore to shore. The 
people feast and sing, and every hour 
swells the mirth of a naturally joyous 
race, the festivities lasting until the dawn 
of day. 

San Giorgio IMaggiore is opposite the 
Doge's palace, a separate island, on which 
is now located the custom-house, though 
it was until the year 1806 in the pos- 
session of the Benedictine monks. The 
finest church in the city, that of San Gi- 
orgio, is on this island, facing the mouth 
of the Grand Canal. Another of these 
islands, San Servilio, is occupied by an 
insane asylum and a hospital for chronic 
diseases. San Lazzaro is used as a hos- 
pital for the leprous. San Vecchio, at 
the mouth of the harbor, contains the 
lazaretto. Lido is the fortification, and 
has on it extensive facilities for sea-bath- 
ing. Other of these islands have on them 
the navy-yards, powder-mills and maga- 
zines, barracks for troops, etc. Others 
are cultivated as kitchen-gardens, from 
which a supply of vegetables is obtained 
for the city, and others are used for sea-bath- 
ing and summer resorts, which are reached 
from the Piazzetta hourly by steamers. 
All of these islands are within a mile 
from St. Mark's, and most of them are not 
five hundred yards distant from what may 
be regarded as the mainland of Venice. 
They all have some population, ranging 
from a few hundred to a few thousand, 
but are only accessible by water. 

Chioggia, which consists of ten small 
islands, with a population of thirty thou- 
sand, mostly fishermen and sailors, is a 
second Venice. It is connected with the 
Lido of Brondolo by means of a bridge 
two thousand five hundred feet long, on 
fifty-three piers, and is thus accessible 
from the mainland on foot. San Michele 
is the burial-place of all the Catholics of 
Venice. The burial-place of the Protes- 
tants is now at the eastern end of this 
island. The island of Murano has a popu- 
lation of five thousand, whose principal 
means of livelihood is the manufacture of 
glass, etc. The mirrors and glass-ware of 
Bohemia, France, and England have so 
excelled them that the manufacture of 
mirrors has been abandoned, and a spe- 
cialty is now made of the manufacture of 
glass beads. There are at Murano a fine 
cathedral and several famous churches. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



239 



ST. MARK S CATHEDRAL. 

This great central attraction of Venice 
no one would expect to find, with its ad- 
joining spacious square, in a city of such 
peculiar characteristics. The cathedral 
stands at the head of the square, with a 
front of one hundred and tifty-six feet. 
It is divided into five arches, and has five 
entrances. Its length is two hundred and 
forty-one feet, and the width at the cross 
one hundred and eighty-eight feet. The 
style of architecture is Byzantine. It was 
built some six hundred years ago, and the 
columns that have been used, from their 
varied styles and colors, are believed to 
have been taken from the most ancient 
edifices of Greece, and from the destroyed 
cities of Erachea and Altino. Standing 
in the centre of the square and looking 
at it, three domes and about a dozen 
small steeples are visible rising above its 
roof. The five lofty arches over the door- 
ways each form a half-dome, the ceilings 
of which are ornamented with mosaic 
representations of the embarkation of the 
body of St. Mark in Alexandria and its 
debarkation at Venice, with other inci- 
dents connected with the life of this patron 
saint of Venice. The central arch has a 
plain blue field, with stars, executed in mo- 
saic. Over the doorway in the centre are 
the four famous bronze horses, which once 
ornamented Nero's triumphal arch. They 
were stolen by Constantine the Great, and 
carried to Constantinople, just one thou- 
sand years ago. When the crusaders 
took Constantinople, in 1205, the horses 
were brought to Venice by one Marino 
Zeno, and placed in their present position. 
When Napoleon I. took Venice, in the 
year 1797, they were again stolen and 
sent to Paris. In 1815 the Emperor Francis 
the Fii'st caused them to be sent back to 
Venice, where they were replaced in their 
former and present position. They are 
thus historical horses, and, although not 
rampant, are fine specimens of the ani- 
mal, and, by the way, the only horses in 
Venice. 

INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL. 

The interior of the cathedral is won- 
derful for the richness and profusion of 
its Oriental marble, and for its carvings, 
both of the ancient and middle ages and 
its bronzes and mosaics, from the tenth to 
the eighteenth century. Even the form 
and style of this ancient church are taken 
from the Church of the Mother of God, 
in Constantinople. The interiors of the 
large and small domes are also brilliant 
with mosaics, as also the hundreds of niches 



in the walls, each representing some event' 
in Scripture history. The interior is one 
mass of mosaics, executed from the car- 
toons of the greatest painters of past ages. 
Everything in the interior is on a grand 
scale. The high altar is especially im- 
posing. The tabernacle and the semi- 
circular arches are supported by four col- 
umns of Greek marble, covered all over 
with bas-reliefs, a work of the fourteenth 
century. There are six small marble figures 
upon the frame of the tribune. Behind the 
altar, sustained by marble bases, is the 
famous golden altar-piece. It is a wonder- 
ful and very rich piece of workmanship, 
studded with pearls and precious stones, 
measuring eleven feet in breadth and five 
and a half feet in height. It has the form 
of a rectangle, divided into two larger 
horizontal divisions and subdivided into 
eighty-three smaller ones. The value of 
the metal and precious stones, not count- 
ing the workmanship, is calculated at 
three millions of pounds sterling. Indeed, 
there is no better evidence of the great 
wealth of Venice in past ages than this 
Cathedral of St. Mark. Church-build- 
ers in those days went foraging around 
the world for pillars and columns and bas- 
reliefs, and St. Mark's is a museum of re- 
mote antiquity as well as of the middle 
ages. The Museum of St. Mark has 
many ancient relics, most of which are 
truly interesting. We regretted, however, 
to see among them a golden shrine in a 
silver gilt case, containing, as was indi- 
cated, " the blood which issued from an 
image of the cross at Bernit in the year 
320." 

The Campanile, or bell-tower, stands in 
front of the left side of the cathedral, and 
has a highly ornamental base. The first 
two hundred feet above the base is of brick, 
and was erected some eight hundred years 
ago. Above this is a spire, making the 
whole height of the tower three hundred 
feet. The width of the tower at the base 
is thirty-eight feet. In former times there 
was a scaffold on the side about one hun- 
dred and fifty feet from the ground, from 
which there was an iron cage hanging, 
in which condemned priests were con- 
fined. Bread and water were lowered to 
them by a string. This shameful punish- 
ment was totally abolished in the year 
1750, at least so we are informed by the 
chronicler of Venice, and the platform 
and cage were removed. The tower con- 
tains a clock and a fine chime of bells, 
and can be ascended, by those who 
have ambition in that way, as far as the 
bells. 



240 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



THE FEMALE WATER-CARRIERS. 

Venice is poorly supplied with water 
for drinking and cooking purposes. The 
entire supply is from wells, the water 
being obtained by lowering buckets with 
a rope. The supply being very small, 
the wells are only opened at certain hours 
during the day, after which they are 
closed and locked by the authorities. 
During the time they are opened it is 
necessary that every one should procure 
a supply sufficient to last until they are 
open again. This has led to the em- 
ployment of female water-carriers, who 
have with them ropes and two copper 
buckets. The two buckets being filled, 
they suspend them on the ends of a 
hickory rod, curved to fit the shoulders, 
and during the times the wells are open 
they can be seen flying in every direction 
with their buckets, furnishing their cus- 
tomers with their supply. Among them 
are many very handsome girls, and they 
seem, notwithstanding their heavy labor, 
a light-hearted and jovial class. 

THE GHETTO, OR JEWS' QUARTER. 

Entering a gondola this afternoon, we 
requested to be taken to the Ghetto, or 
Jews' quarter of the city, and were landed 
near the mouth of a large canal, which 
intersects with the Grand Canal near 
the Academy of Fine Arts. We had 
scarcely landed wheii we were taken 
charge of by two men and a throng of 
barefooted and almost bare-backed boys, 
who led us into a covered court, when 
they informed us this was the entrance 
to the famous Ghetto. Here was pointed 
out to us a marble tablet, which was 
inserted there centuries ago, forbidding 
any converted Jew from ever passing or 
entering that quarter of the city. So soon 
as we entered the court-yard, a crowd of 
old women, men, and boys surrounded us, 
begging for money. We scattered around 
some change among a few of the oldest 
of them, which brought a new supply of 
supplicants, from whom we escaped by 
entering one of the synagogues near the 
entrance, which was fitted up in the most 
costly manner, in strange contrast to the 
squalid poverty by which it was sur- 
rounded. From thence we passed down 
through the street, the houses on either 
side of which were eight stories high, 
and finally entered a broad court-yard, 
at one end of which was a building de- 
voted to manufacturing rugs and carpets, 
established to give employment to the 
poor of that quarter. Here men, women, 



and boys were at work. This court ex- 
tends down to a canal, over which is an 
iron bridge, which, before the French 
occupation in 1808, had a gate that was 
closed by the authorities at sundown, and 
there was a similar gate at the entrance 
of the quarter. It appears that Bonaparte 
suspended this cruel edict, and gave them 
the same liberty as other citizens, which 
is recorded on a block of marble at the 
foot of a flag-stafi" in the centre of the 
court-yard, alongside of which is a larger 
tablet recording the granting of lilierty 
and equality by A'^ictor Emmanuel in 1858. 
On returning, the crowd of beggars had 
been reinforced, and our voluntary guides 
had increased to a half-dozen. We then 
entered another synagogue, much hand- 
somer than the first, which had been 
built by a bequest of ninety thousand 
florins by some wealthy Hebrew. After 
paying our guides, and emptying our 
purses among the poor destitute crea- 
tures, we were followed to the gondola 
by another throng of anxious supplicants, 
and felt that we had a safe deliverance 
when it glided out into the stream. 

We give the account of this visit pre- 
cisely as it occurred, and hope that it 
may have the effect of calling the atten- 
tion of some of our wealthy Israelites to 
the relief of these poor people. They 
have got synagogues enough ; what they 
want is bread and meat, or work where- 
with to obtain the means of securing it. 
The whole number of Jews in Venice is 
less than four thousand, and they have 
eleven synagogues, but no bread at the 
Ghetto. The wealthy Israelites of Venice 
are, it appears, Germans, who have no 
sympathy or affiliation Avith the Italian 
Jews who occupy the Ghetto. There 
was no mistaking the fact that these peo- 
ple were in want. There were among 
them old men and women who seemed to 
be tottering to the grave, whose anxious 
countenances betokened that they were 
really suffering for food. 

THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS. 

There is nothing which the stranger 
visiting Venice looks to with more interest 
than the Bridge of Sighs, which Lord 
Byron has made famous in the fourth 
canto of Childe Harold. As some of our 
readers have not seen photographs of it, 
we will endeavor to make them see it as 
we saw it. Let them suppose that the 
Baltimore Court -House is the Doge's 
palace, and that the St. Clair Hotel is the 
prison of Venice, whilst Court-IIouse Lane 
is a canal. Having mastered this idea of 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



241 



location, let them imagine a beautiful 
covered white marble arched bridge, 
springing from the second-story window 
of the hotel over to the wall of Judge 
Dobbin's court-room; This bridge is open 
sculptured work, highly ornamented. It 
is closed at the top and sides, the light 
entering through this open-work. The 
court-house being in the Doge's palace, 
this bridge was used to convey prisoners 
back and forth for trial. The interior of 
the bridge is divided into two passages, 
each with its own means of ingress and 
egress, and entirely independent of one 
another. By these passages, thus con- 
necting the prison and the palace, the 
accused were brought before their judges 
without causing public disturbance, it 
being thirty-three feet above the canal. 
The name, the "Bridge of Sighs," is 
one of those expressive appellations so 
common in Italy, and, it is asserted, has 
no reference to the administrative system 
. of the old republic. It was built at the 
end of the sixteenth century, and the 
chroniclers of Venice protest that it was 
never used except for criminal prisoners 
and common offenders, awaiting their 
generally merited fate. Hence Byron is 
accused of using a poetical license un- 
warranted by the facts in his refei-ence 
to the structure. A bridge crosses the 
canal just below, and another just above, 
the Doge's palace, from which a fine view 
of the Bridge of Sighs can be obtained, 
whilst the gondoliers generally take their 
customers through the canal under it. 
It has been imnwrtalized by Byron in 
the fourth canto of Childe Harold, thus : 

"I stood in Venicp, on tho Bridge of Sighs, 
A palace and a [irisiin on eacli hand; 
I saw fi-om out the waves lier striutiiros rise 
As from the stroke of some enchanter's wand. 
A thousand years their cloudy wings expand 
-J , ' Around me, and a dying glory smiles 

/ 1 O'er the far times when many a suhject-land 

'(yiX'iAyl^ •• Looked to the winged island s' marble piles, 

"Where Venice sat in stafe, throned on her hundred 
isles." 

A REMARKABLE CITT. 

The stranger who has never visited 
Venice is apt to regard it as a city of 
ruins, a great city that has gone to decay. 
But a few days' sojourn will satisfy him 
that Venice is still a great and remarka- 
ble city. Its palaces and churches are 
old, but they are built of enduring stone 
that will last forever. They are stained 
with the dust of ages, but stand as 
firm on their watery foundations as if 
built but yesterday, and most of them, 
as specimens of architecture, will com- 
Dare favorably with the best productions 
16 



of the present day. Some of the old 
palaces on the Grand Canal show that 
they were built regardless of expense, 
and the churches were reared apparently 
as specimens of the architectural rivalry 
which prevailed at the time of their con- 
struction. Expense appears to have been 
no consideration, and we find few churches 
at the present day in the construction of 
which there has been such lavish expend- 
iture. If it were not for the pride of 
antiquity which prevails in all these old 
countries, and that the stains and cob- 
webs of age are regarded as adding to 
the attractions of architecture, Venice 
might, with a little rubbing and scrub- 
bing, be made a very beautiful city. In 
order that the reader may fully under- 
stand this, it will be necessary to give 
some idea of the character of these build- 



THE CHURCHES OF VENICE. 

In what we have described as the heart 
of Venice there are precisely one hun- 
dred Catholic churches, besides the great 
Cathedral of St. Mark. Each and all 
of these churches have in front of them a 
small court-yard, most of them not more 
than from sixty to one hundred feet 
square, in the centre of which is a well.. 
These court-yards are mainly to allow a 
full view of the architecture of the front 
of the buildings, and of the statuary 
with which they are so extensively orna- 
mented. There are no plain churches, 
and no two of them that resemble one 
another in their style or ornamentation. 
There are more churches here than at 
Rome, and the ornamentation and em- 
bellishment of them are more elaborate 
and expensive. It would be difficult to 
say wiiy they are so numerous, or how 
they are all maintained. In one section 
of the city there are six of these large 
churches within five minutes' walk, and 
several of them so close that even in this 
closely-packed city the spires of most of 
them can be seen from one stand-point. 
They are the Churches of San Andrea, the 
Visitation, Gesuiti, the Holy Spirit, San- 
ta Eufemia, and the Redeemer. The most 
of them were built about three hun- 
dred years ago, the present generation or 
their predecessors having had nothing in 
this line left for them to do. To build a 
church in Venice at the present day 
would be the supreme of folly. We find 
service generally progressing in them, 
and seldom more than a dozen old per- 
sons present and participating. 

The interiors of all these churches are 



242 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



well supplied with paintings and statuary, 
and some of their altars are rich in rare 
stones and sparklino; gems. It may seem 
singular how foundations could be ob- 
tained for these massive buildings, many 
of Avhich border on the canals ; but this 
may be explained by an account of the 
building of the Church of Our Lady, which 
says, " The foundation-stone was laid in 
1G31, and one million two hundred thou- 
sand piles Avere used to make its founda- 
tions." An account of the construction 
of the Rialto bridge says that "it rests 
upon twelve thousand piles of elm." 

But, independent of these one hundred 
churches in the heart of the city, there 
are fully forty more on the outer islands, 
most of which will vie in architectural 
grandeur with the best of them. Indeed, 
several of the finest churches of Venice 
are on these islands. There are also nu- 
merous monasteries and nunneries, but 
most of them have their large establish- 
ments on the contiguous islands. 

The number of priests connected with 
the churches of Venice exceeds one thou- 
sand, being about one for every twenty 
inhabitants. We notice this fact, that 
if there is a scarcity of them in any 
part of the world, it would be an act of 
.charity to relieve suffering Venice. 

THE VENETIAN PALACES. 

The whole number of old palaces 
reaches nearly one hundred and fifty in 
all the islands, of which one hundred and 
three are mostly on the Grand Canal and 
in the central part of the city. They are 
called by the names of their founders, 
and many of them are still in the posses- 
sion of and occupied by their impoverished 
descendants. Some of them have old 
painting-galleries, museums of antiquities, 
etc., which are exhibited for a small fee 
to the curious. Many of the others stand 
in silent grandeur, apparently empty ; 
whilst others are converted into store- 
houses or made use of as public build- 
ings. From a list of these palaces I 
extract the following curious note ap- 
pended to the account of Palazzo Gius- 
tiniani : " The Giustiniani family is said to 
have descended from Justinian, Emperor 
of Constantinople. This noble family 
was, in the year 1160, near being extin- 
guished, all the males having died in the 
battle against Emanuel Comneno. In 
order to maintain it, one Niccolo Gius- 
tiniani was taken out of a monastery, and, 
having been absolved from the vow of 
chastity, married the daughter of Doge 
Vitalmichiel II., and, after having had off- 



spring, and thus secured the succession, 
re-entered the cloister." So it will be 
seen that P^re Ilyacinthe is not the first 
married priest who has had an offspring 
christened. It also appears that the title 
of nobility in old Venice was a merchant- 
able commodity, and that the price to be 
paid for it was one hundred thousand du- 
cats. Quite a number of the founders of 
these palaces are recorded as having thus 
purchased their honors, having contrib- 
uted to the state one hundred thousand 
ducats when they were " elevated to the 
Venetian nobility." In our day the hav- 1 
ing a bank-account of a few hundred 
thousand ducats gives a man all the emi- 
nence in social life that he may desire. 

THE RIALTO BRIDGE. 

Every one who has perused the old 
Italian romances has heard of the Eialto, 
the famous stone bridge of Venice, which 
has been also invested by Byron with a 
romantic interest. It is a massive stone 
structure, spanning the Grand Canal, 
being neither suggestive of poetry nor 
romance. Considering that it was built 
three hundred years ago, and is still as 
ponderous and solid as it was when the 
last stone was laid, it is well worthy of 
inspection as a sample of the durable 
work of that age. It is about one hun- 
dred feet long, consisting of a single 
arch, and seventy feet broad. There 
being no vehicles or horses in Venice, it is 
simply for pedestrians, and is divided into 
three parts, the centre having the greatest 
breadth, and is lined with stores or "booths 
built of stone along its entire length. 
These booths are in reality a part of the 
bridge, there being clear footways on each 
side as well as between them in the cen- 
tre of the bridge, its great width furnish- 
ing ample room. The height of the arch 
above the water is twenty-two feet, and 
to the top of the balustrade about thirty- 
two feet. It is in reality a bridge with 
houses on it, and is always thronged with 
pedestrians passing and repassing or 
stopping at the booths. The Rialto al- 
ways presents a lively aspect, especially 
in the morning, as the approaches to it 
on both sides of the canal are used as a 
market-place for the sale of vegetables 
and fruits. As we passed under it in a 
gondola yesterday we were startled by 
seeing several swimmers jump from the 
balustrade into the water, a crowd being 
assembled on the banks of the canal to 
witness the feat. The abutments of the 
arch are built out in the water about 
fifteen feet from the edge of the canal on 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



243 



either side, and the rise to the bridge is 
made by a succession of about one dozen 
long and massive stone steps built into 
the abutments. 

VENICE BY GAS-LIGHT. 

Last evening we made a general round 
through the Grand Canal, to see Venice 
by gas-light. The gondolier, as we moved 
slowly along the Grand Canal, called out 
the names of the palaces we were passing, 
most of which seemed to be deserted. 
They were broad and massive stone and 
marble buildings from four to five stories 
in height, stained and blackened by the 
hand of time. We passed in our trip of 
two miles nearly fifty of these structures, 
none of which had been erected less than 
three hundred years. The impression con- 
stantly forced upon us in this trip was that 
we were sailing through the streets of a 
flooded city, and the vision of Harrison 
Street on several memorable occasions 
when Jones's Falls was not in an amiable 
mood rose to the imagination. Many of 
the gondolas exhibited lights, whilst the 
lights from the houses and the city gas- 
lamps tended to give life and animation 
to the scene. At most of the openings of 
the streets the splash made by the boys 
who were diving into the canal and 
swimming could be heard. It may fairly 
be presumed that in so finely a watered 
city the children take to water like young 
ducks. 

Returning from our trip about nine 
o'clock in the evening, our gondolier 
brought us back through the narrow 
canals, passing through the heart of the 
city, and under dozens of bridges, over 
which the people were moving to and fro. 
The houses all loomed up five stories 
above us, in which could be heard the 
sound of pianos, and, with the exception 
of the openings where the bridges crossed, 
it was one unbroken line of stone and 
mortar. We passed a large number of 
gondoliers in this part of our excursion, 
and it seemed strange that in so narrow a 
channel there were no collisions. The 
shouts of a gondolier on turning a corner 
are peculiar, and most necessary in such 
darkness, viz., 17m t, a boat ahead ; preme, 
pass to the right ; sta li, pass to the left, 
etc. 

THE LADIES OF VENICE. 

The better class of ladies of Venice dress 
with considerable taste, mostly in light 
gossamer material, and in the evening a 
large number are visiting the stores, or 
reclining with their children and friends 
in their gondolas on the Grand Canal. 



The great evening resort is an island 
called Toledo, to the left of the city, on 
which bath-houses are in successful opera- 
tion, and sea-bathing is enjoyed to its 
fullest extent. Two steamers make hourly 
trips to Toledo during the afternoon. On 
the streets the ladies are remarkable for 
their- grace and dignity of carriage, and 
our female critics pronounce them deci- 
dedly handsome. The water-girls and the 
flower-girls are also a feature of Venice. 
The former supply customers with water 
carried in copper buckets from the arte- 
sian wells. What is singular, most of the 
former are decidedly good-looking, and 
always wear a cheerful countenance and 
seem overflowing with vivacity. The 
flower-girls are handsome and modest in 
deportment, and all do a thriving busi- 
ness. 

THEATRES OF VENICE. 

Venice has no less than seven theatres, 
all of them quite fine establishments, 
though not so large as with us. The thea- 
tre La Fenice is one of the most elegant 
little establishments conceivable. It is 
quite aged, having been in use more than 
a hundred years. Four of them are now 
open, and giving nightly performances to 
crowded houses. 

We must not omit to mention that in 
our wanderings yesterday we found that 
Venice has a very elegant botanical gar- 
den, covering five or six acres of ground, 
whose beautiful and interesting avenues 
are but little visited. What here more 
particularly attracts northern visitors is 
the growth of small European shrubs to 
a great height. The plants are mostly 
exotics, and between the avenues of the 
trees the vacant ground is devoted to vari- 
ous scientific objects. The number of the 
different species of plants is more than 
seven thousand. There is the greatest 
collection of cacti in the garden to be 
found anywhere in the world, some of 
them from fourteen to twenty-four feet 
high. 

Venice also has an academy of fine 
arts, containing over seven hundred fine 
paintings, mostly of the Venetian school. 
These paintings are principally those that 
have been brought hither after the demo- 
lition and devotion of churches to other 
objects. These have been enlarged by 
considerable gifts and purchases, until it 
is now a richly-stocked gallery, filling 
twenty separate halls. 

VENICE FICTIONS. 

The guides here point out the old pal- 
ace now occupied as the New York Hotel 



244 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



as having been the veritable house of 
Desdemona, from whence she eloped with 
the tawny Moor. The house of the Moor 
is also said to be still standing, as well as 
that of lago. The same entertaining 
gondoliers point out the residence of Shy- 
lock, who was so terribly hard on the 
Merchant of Venice. As these characters 
are all fictitious, it is about as well that 
the fiction should continue. At Verona 
they go so far towards verifying the 
truth of Shakspeare's Romeo and Juliet as 
to point out the balcony on which the fair 
Juliet listened to the wooing of Romeo, 
and, to make the matter more certain, 
carry their visitors to the grave of Juliet. 

LOVE OF MUSIC. 

In the evening, whilst floating quietly 
down the canals of Venice, the ear is fre- 
quently startled by the sounds of most 
skillfully-executed music on the piano, 
accompanied at times by female voices of 
great volume and sweetness. The sounds 
would come from the window of a build- 
ing the outside appearance of which 
would be suggestive of anything but re- 
finement. Occasionally, from a balcony 
high up on these bleak and desolate-look- 
ing walls, ladies would be sitting, war- 
bling operatic airs, and the sound of mer- 
riment and song amid the stillness of the 
night, undisturbed by the rattling of 
wheels and the clatter of hoofs or the or- 
dinary street noises, was peculiarly dis- 
tinct and pleasing. So also in strolling 
through the narrowest of the streets, 
there seemed to be a piano in every house, 
and, judging from the sounds, were being 
manipulated by skillful hands. The gon- 
doliers of the Grand Canal, all of whom 
have good voices, are frequently heard at 
night warbling Italian melodies, whilst 
many musical associations go alaout at 
night serenading. On the three evenings 
of the week when the military bands ap- 
pear on the Piazza of St. Mark, the whole 
population turn out, and the attendance 
usually ranges from ten to fifteen thou- 
sand. Aquatic parties also frequently 
charter one of the small steamers, and 
with a band of music, accompanied by 
voices, cruise about in front of the Doge's 
palace and along the city front. 

GOOD-BT, VENICE, 

We leave Venice to-night, after spend- 
ing several days very pleasantly within 
its water-bound walls. Whether we have 
succeeded in giving our readers any idea 
of what Venice really is, we shall proba- 
bly never know, but we hope that all will 



have a better appreciation of the place 
than heretofore. We would, however, 
advise all to see Venice for themselves, 
when opportunity serves. 



VERONA AND ITS ROMANCE. 

Verona, Italy, July 28, 1873. 

We left Venice, the city of extensive 
water-privileges, yesterday afternoon, and 
although we had no dust to shake from 
our feet, we did endeavor to leave behind 
as many of the animated atoms as pos- 
sible which had so greatly annoyed us 
during our sojourn. It was there that 
the Merchant of Venice coined his wealth, 
and the remorseless Shy lock demanded 
his pound of flesh, and there that the 
gentle Jessica slipped out the front door 
and glided off with her lover in his gay 
gondola. Well, whatever may be said of 
the others, we think she did right, espe- 
cially if she was compelled to live in the 
Ghetto, the Jews' quarter, which was un- 
doubtedly a good place to run from. 

ROMEO AND JULIET. 

We reached Verona, the reputed home 
of Shakspeare's Two Gentlemen of Ve- 
rona, as we all know it to have been the 
native town of the gentle Juliet and her 
loving Romeo. Here are the tombs of 
the Capulets and Montagues, and in the 
garden of the Orfanotrofio is the tomb of 
Juliet. It, however, does but little jus- 
tice to her memory, and the government 
proposes to erect a more suitable monu- 
ment to the fair heroine, over whose trials 
and tribulations and sad death the world 
will con inue to shed tears until the end 
of time. It has been proven by a strict 
inquiry into the history of Verona that 
all the circumstances, characters, and in- 
cidents of the story were faithfully re- 
tained by Shakspeare in writing his great 
play, and that Juliet was indeed most 
beautiful, fully warranting the exclama- 
tion of Romeo, when, looking up to her 
balcony, the counterpart of which every 
house in town seems to be provided with, 
he exclaimed : 

" But, soft ! what light through yonder window 
breaks ? 
it is the east, and Juliet is the sun I 
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, 
Who is already sick and pale with grief 
That thou her maid art far more fair than she. . , 
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven. 
Having some liusiness, do entreat her eyes 
To twinkle in their spheres till they return. 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



245 



What if her eyes were there, they in her head ? 
The brigUtuess of her cheek wouIJ shame those 

stiirs, 
As davlight doth a lamp ; her eye in heaven 
Would through the airy region stream so bright, 
That birds would sing, and think it were not 

night." 

The narrow but lofty house of Juliet's 
parents, in the street of San Sebastiano, 
now a tavern, still bears the hat over the 
entrance to the court, which was the dis- 
tinctive emblem in the armorial bearings 
of the family, and the memorable veranda 
under which Romeo poured into the will- 
ing ear of Juliet his passion, and the 
balustrade over which the lovely Juliet 
plighted her troth, are still preserved. 
Verona appears to have been famous for 
its development of the tender passion, for 
here it was that the Roman poet Catullus, 
eighty-six years before the birth of Christ, 
in speaking of his Lesbia and how many 
of her kisses would satisfy him, declared 
'' that he desired as many as there were 
grains of sand in the desert of Libya and 
stars in the heavens." What wonder, 
then, that such a town should have pro- 
duced a Romeo and a Juliet fifteen hun- 
dred years after ? 

THE CITY OF VERONA. 

Verona has a population of about 
seventy thousand. The rapid-running 
river Adige flows directly through the 
, town, the flow of the current being suffi- 
cient to drive the wheels of large num- 
bers of floating grist-mills anchored in 
the stream. It is distinguished as one 
of the most industrious cities of Italy, its 
people being largely engaged in the weav- 
ing of silk, linen, and woolen fabrics. 
The climate is healthy, but a little keen 
in winter, on account of its near approach 
to the Alps. 

ROMAN AMPHITHEATRE. 

We were surprised to find in Verona 
so many and such perfect specimens of old 
Roman architecture. One of the most im- 
portant objects of interest which first at- 
tracts the attention of the stranger, and is 
the great glory of Verona, are the ruins of 
the old Roman amphitheatre, which stands 
in the centre of the city. It is almost equal 
in size, and in a far better state of preser- 
vation, than the Coliseum at Rome, being 
regarded as the finest specimen now in ex- 
istence of Roman architecture. It presents 
a most imposing appearance, the interior 
having suffered but little, owing to the 
great care that has been taken to pre- 
serve it, though most of the outer circle 
of the arches were nearly all destroyed by 



an earthquake some six hundred years 
ago. The height of the building when 
perfect exceeded one hundred and twenty 
feet. It is elliptical in form, the extreme 
length of its diameters to the outer 
walls being five hundred and ten and 
five hundred and twelve feet. The cor- 
ridors, stairs, and stone seats are in a 
remarkable state of preservation. There 
are forty successive tiers of granite seats, 
each row being eighteen inches high and 
the same in breadth, the whole number 
being equal to the accommodation of twen- 
ty-five thousand persons. There is no 
authentic information as to the founders 
of this great work, though it is supposed to 
have been built between the reigns of Titus 
and Trajan. It was used for the exhibition 
of shows and sports in the middle ages, 
and sometimes as an arena for judicial 
combats. A wooden theatre is now 
erected in the arena, and the arches of 
the old building are rented out for stores 
by the city. 

There are various other monuments of 
antiquity in Verona deserving of notice, 
in a fine state of preservation. The an- 
cient double gallery, composed of mai'ble, 
built under Gallienus, in memory of 
Avhom it is named, stands surviving the 
abrasion of the weather, its walls now, 
after sixteen hundred years of exposure, 
being as perfect as if erected yesterday. 

The fortifications of Verona are most 
extensive, and surround the whole city, as 
well as frown from the top of every hill. 
They are attributed to Charlemagne. The 
locality has been the scene of many se- 
vere battles in both ancient and modern 
times, and the city has been alternately 
in the possession of the Austrians, French, 
and Italians. Like all the rest of Italy, 
it has vastly improved under the reign of 
Victor Emmanuel. 

CHURCHES AND CATHEDRALS. 

We have visited most of the old 
churches and cathedrals of Italy, but 
have alluded to but very few of them in 
these letters. They are interesting as 
showing how the people have been 
starved and impoverished to build and 
ornament vast structures, most of which 
were neither needed for the worship of 
God nor the service of man. Most of 
them are in a dilapidated condition, which 
gives promise that the age for such need- 
less expenditure has nearly passed. But 
few of them have been constructed within 
the past three hundred years, with the 
exception of St. Paul's outside th^ walls 
of Rome, which has been restored since 



246 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



its destruction by fire, in 1823, on a scale 
of 2;raDdeur that when completed prom- 
ises to eclipse St. Peter's. It is located a 
mile and a half outside of the walls of 
Rome, in the midst of a sparsely-settled 
country, and is only attended by a few 
strolling peasants. Once a year it is 
visited by the Pope in great state, and 
the balance of the year is devoted to 
making preparations for the great occa- 
sion by tne, colony of clergymen who are 
here quartered. This church has cost 
more money than all the churches of Bal- 
timore combined, including the cathedral, 
one altar and chapel alone in it having 
cost ten millions of dollars. The money 
for its construction and ornamentation 
has been charged to the " Peter's pence" 
fund. It is an attempt to re-establish 
the magnificent folly of an age that is 
past and gone, and which, now that Rome 
belongs to free Italy, will never return. It 
may be deemed heretical to say so, but it 
seems to us that they have been erected 
and ornamented more for the glory of 
their founders than the worship of God, 
and that the same amount of labor and 
treasure expended in the education and 
improvement of the people would have 
been more acceptable and praiseworthy. 

THE ALPS. 

We are making haste to get under the 
shadow of the Alps, and hence make a 
brief stay at Verona, intending to stop at 
Milan to-nit;ht. 



MILAN. 

THE FINEST CITY IN ITALY. 

Milan, July 29, 1873. 
We arrived here last evening after a 
warm ride from Verona, passing through 
a most beautiful and interesting country 
on our route. The numerous towns and 
cities we found as usual extensively for- 
tified, and the view from the cars was 
most picturesque and attractive. Along 
the road from Brescia to Mantua, a dis- 
tance of fifteen miles, we passed the field 
upon which the battle of Solferino was 
fought, which is as level as one of our 
Western prairies. We also had a fine 
view of the magnificent Lake of Garda, 
which is thirty-seven miles in length, and 
at one point fourteen miles in width, hav- 
ing a depth in some places of one thou- 
sand feet. The greater part of this fine 
sheet of water lies within the kingdom 



of Italy, the northern extremity only be- 
longing to Austria. 

The whole distance from Verona to 
Milan, one hundred miles, presents a 
scene of the most luxuriant vegetation to 
be found anywhere in the world, and the 
cultivation of the soil is most thorough 
and systematic. A great deal of it is ir- 
rigated from the Mincio, a rapid-running 
stream of clear and sparkling water. 
The grape, corn, and grasses are the 
principal products. 

CITY OF MILAN. 

As we progress northward, the appear- 
ances of Italian cities undergo a change, 
and, instead of the narrow streets of 
Southern Italy, we have at Milan broad, 
well-ventilated thoroughfares, and evi- 
dently a higher state of civilization and 
progress among the people. Milan is 
undoubtedly one of the very finest cities in 
Italy, and indeed there are few cities in 
any country that can excel it in appear- 
ance and attractiveness. Like most an- 
cient cities, it is very irregularly laid out, 
but it is one of the most interesting in 
Europe, full of activity and wealth. It 
has some noble thoroughfares, and is rap- 
idly improving, the buildings going up in 
its suburbs being of a very superior class 
to the old sections of the city. It is a 
walled city, but the interior side of the 
wall is laid out with gardens and planted 
with trees, an arrangement which sur- 
rounds the whole city with a park. 

MILAN ON SUNDAY. 

Sunday in Milan is a good day to see 
the city and its people. As is the case in 
all Catholic countries, the day is ob- 
served both as a day of worship and of 
pleasure-seeking. Before twelve o'clock 
everybody is intent on their religious du- 
ties, and after that hour the pursuit of 
recreation and pleasure is the universal 
rule. The thousands of cafes were in full 
blast, each surrounded by as many cus- 
tomers as could be furnished with seats 
and tables to partake of their refi-esh- 
ments. Gentlemen with their wives and 
families could be seen everywhere in fes 
tive gatherings, partaking of creams, 
lemonade, and in some cases beer and 
wine. Carriages were driving to and fro 
thronged with ladies and children, and 
the omnibuses were packed to their ut- 
most capacity. The public grounds around 
the city were filled with people, and here 
the cafes were supplying them with re- 
freshments. Good order and quiet were, 
however, observable everywhere until 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



247 



midnight, when there was a simulta- 
neous outbreak of noisy revelers all over 
the city, and for an hour or more the 
singing of songs, with stirring choruses, 
resounded in every direction. 

CATHEDRAL OF MILAN. 

Every stranger who comes to Milan of 
course desires to see the world-renowned 
cathedral, the dome and spires of wdiich 
are the iirst things visible in approaching 
from any direction. It certainly is a most 
wonderful structure, and if its architects 
desired to leave a building that will never 
be excelled in its ornamentation, they 
have, ver}' likely, been successful. It is 
a perfect forest of marble pinnacles, with 
life-size statues peeping out from every 
niche in its walls. Wherever you cast 
your eye on any part of the exterior 
walls, your gaze is returned by a throng 
of those " stone men and women" who. 
Father Barrett protests, are the main pro- 
duction of Italy. The number of these 
statues is variously estimated by different 
authors, but they are certainly so numer- 
ous that it would be folly to attempt to 
count them. Dr. S. I. Prime, author of 
" Travels in Europe and the East," affirms 
that there are already seven thousand, 
and places for three thousand more. Mur- 
ray says four thousand four hundred, 
which is probably more nearly correct. 
The central tower and spire is especially 
beautiful, and, surrounded as it is by a 
throng of smaller spires, each surmounted 
by a statue, presents a combination of 
rare elegance almost impossible to de- 
scribe. Then the wilderness of tracery 
in beautiful white marble which sur- 
rounds the I'oof, delicately marked against 
the sky, gives to the whole structure, 
large and massive as it is, the appearance 
of being as light and fragile as if the first 
gust of heavy wind might be expected to 
topple it over. The entire length of the 
cathedral, which is in the form of a Latin 
cross, is four hundred and ninety feet, 
breadth one hundred and eighty feet, 
height to top of the statue three hundred 
and fifty-four feet, length of the transept 
two hundred and eighty-four feet, and 
height of the nave one hundred and fifty- 
two feet. As a monument of ornamental 
architecture it will probably stand forever 
unrivaled, as the taste of the present age 
does not run in the same direction. The 
interior of the cathedral is still more 
grand and imposing than the exterior. 
Its double aisles and clustei-ed pillars, its 
lofty arches, the lustre of its walls, its 
numberless niches filled with noble fig- 



ures, and its monuments, combine to give 
a grandeur and solidity to its appearance 
much more efiective than the exter'or 
view. It was commenced over five hun- 
dred years' ago, and was nearly a century 
in the course of construction. The scene 
in the interior, with the morning sun 
shining through its magnificent stained 
windows, is most strikingly beautiful. 
From the roof, looking down on the fine 
marble tracery and the forest of spires, a 
better idea is obtained of the vastness of 
the structure than from any other point. 
The Alps, Avith Mont Blanc in the dis- 
tance, are distinctly visible from this ele- 
vated position. 

THE STREETS OF MILAN. 

All the cities of Europe are considerably 
ahead of the United States in the paving 
of streets, but we think that Milan is the 
best-paved city in Europe. There are 
no curb-stones, and no gutters, even in 
streets as broad as say Baltimore Street, 
all being smooth, from house to house, 
with a slight depression in the centre, 
Avhere there are openings, narrow slits, in 
the stone carriage-way, to allow the rain 
to pass off into the sewers underneath. 
The drainage from the houses passes di- 
rectly into the sewers by pipes, and there 
is nothing to provide for in the drainage 
of the streets except rain. The foot-paths 
next to the houses are about six feet in 
width, of smooth granite. There are also 
two lines of granite for the wheels of ve- 
hicles to run upon in the centre of the 
street, by which means an omnibus with 
two horses can draw as many passengers 
as a street-railway car, rendering the lat- 
ter unnecessai'y in a city so perfectly level 
as Milan. The balance of the street is 
paved with small round stones, which are 
laid in cement, and form an excellent 
pavement, smooth and solid. The smooth 
granite blocks, which form the whole bed 
of the streets in Naples, Florence, and 
Rome, are very hard upon the horses, al- 
most one-half of which wear leather caps 
on their knees to protect the knee-joint 
from damage in case of falling, as they 
are apt to do if moving with any speed. 
The pavements of Milan afford excellent 
looting for the horse, even better than 
our rough pavements, whilst the wheels 
glide over them Avith but little resistance. 
It is Avonderful where so many stones of 
the right size can be obtained, but they 
appear as if having been through a sieve, 
and all rejected that exceed the standard 
size. If the pavements are croAvded, as 
is constantly the case, people readily step 



248 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



upon them to pass, without the slightest 
inconvenience. The streets are carefully 
swept and washed at nlj^ht, and at day- 
light there is not a particle of dust or dirt 
to be seen. This is the case not only in 
the better parts of the city, but like clean- 
liness is observable everywhere. Men 
also go about all day with small hand- 
carts and brooms, carefully sweeping and 
sprinkling to prevent dust. 

THE LADIES OF MILAN. 

By visiting the cathedral and the 
churches at an early hour in the morning 
we have had a good opportunity to see 
the ladies of Milan in their simple and 
elegant attire, the only covering for their 
heads being light gossamer veils. The 
younger females are quite handsome, but 
they evidently lose their beauty at an 
early period. A handsome elderly or 
middle-aged lady is seldom seen in Italy, 
and those that are very old become wrin- 
kled and sallow to an extent that is not 
seen in any other country. The children, 
with their large, dark, arid piercing eyes, 
are very handsome, and full of brightness 
and vivacity. The younger ladies wear 
their dresses very low in the neck in 
front, but high up on the shoulders. They 
have very small feet, and take care to 
show them. 

SHOPPING IN MILAN. 

The storekeepers of Milan are very 
sharp at a bargain, and charge foreign- 
ers enormous prices for everything they 
may purchase. They will, however, on 
being pushed, readily strike off one-third 
from the asking price, even though at first 
they may have told you that they had but 
one price. 

The stores are very elegant, but not as 
numerous as those of Naples. The Gal- 
leria Vittorlo Emanuele forms the central 
point for the traffic of Milan, and is be- 
ing largely extended and beautified. It 
is an immense arcade, roofed in with glass, 
the roof having at the central point of the 
cross which it forms an elevation of one 
hundred and eighty feet. The lower story 
is devoted to fancy and jewelry stores, 
of which there are fully one hundred and 
fifty. The building is adorned with twenty- 
four statues of famous Italians. It is 
lighted in the evening by two thousand 
gas-jets, independent of the light from 
the stores, and presents a gay scene. 
There are several large cafes in this great 
establishment for the sale of ices and con- 
fectionery, in front of which seats and 
tables are arranged. The avenues are 



fifty feet wide, the flooring being of finely- 
executed mosaics of difi'erent coloi's. 
There are other arcades in different sec- 
tions of the city, but none equal to this. 
The rays of the sun are so fierce here that 
ladies who are out shopping naturally 
seek these shaded stores in preference to 
those upon the open streets. 



A VOYAGE ON LAKE COMO. 

THE BEAUTIES OF ^HE LAKE AND ITS 
SURROUNDINGS. ■ 

CoLico, Italy, July 30, 1873. 
We left Milan at nine o'clock this morn- 
ing, anxious to get to a cooler climate, and 
at four o'clock reached Colico, at the head 
of Lake Como, the point of departure for 
the diligence through the Splligen Pass 
of the Alps, which are here looming up 
before us nine thousand feet in mid-air, 
capped with snow, rapidly melting under 
the rays of the summer sun. 

FAREWELL TO ITALY, 

We are by no means sorry that our tour 
in Italy is completed. There is no coun- 
try in Europe more replete with interest 
and instruction to the tourist, but the 
modern Italians are not a pleasant people 
to dwell among. They make great claims 
to refinement and progress in science and 
the arts, but by so doing they only invite 
more attention to the degeneracy which 
has brought them down from the high 
position attained by their masters. Syd- 
ney Smith summed up his experience 
in Italy by asserting that whilst the old 
Italians were all Jupiters, the present 
race were all jew-peters. But, adepts as 
they now are in all their little schemes to 
take advantage of strangers, they have 
greatly improved for the better during the 
past few years. Both the country and its 
people have improved, and there is every 
reason to hope that the efforts of Victor 
Emmanuel to regenerate Italy will be suc- 
cessful. The only drawbacks seem to be 
the soldiers and the priests. Every fifth 
man you meet is a soldier, and every 
twentieth man a priest or a friar. The 
latter may be all very good people, but 
there are too many non-producers in the 
country. The people do not evince any 
excess of piety on account of this great 
excess of ecclesiastics, and it is very evi- 
dent that most of them are better fitted to 
work in the vineyards on the hills than in 
the vineyard of the Lord. The soldiers 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



249 



are everywhere, and we must say they 
are the best-disciplined and the finest-uni- 
formed men of the fighting order that 
we have yet met witli. 

FROM MILAN TO COMO. 

The railway from Milan to Como tra- 
verses a fertile plain, luxuriantly clothed 
with vineyards, mulberry plantations, and 
fields of corn, intersected by numerous 
canals and cuttings for purposes of navi- 
gation. The route also passes numerous 
country residences, and the towns of 
Monza, Lecco, Bellaggio, Seregno, Canzo, 
and Camerlata. The old towers, for- 
tresses, and cathedrals, towering up over 
the luxuriant verdure of the fields, render 
the view very picturesque. The trains 
stop at Camerlata, and a diligence con- 
veys passengers to the town of Como, 
which has over twenty thousand inhab- 
itants. Here was the birthplace of the 
elder Pliny, and of the experimental phi- 
losopher Volta. It consists of but two or 
three sti'eets, and is about a mile and a 
half in length, having all the usual pecu- 
liarities of Italian towns. The only attrac- 
tion about it is the old cathedral, which 
was commenced in 1396 and completed 
in 1521, said to be one of the best struc- 
tures in North Italy. Indeed, there are 
very few churches in Italy that are less 
than three hundred yeai's old. There are 
extensive silk-weaving factories at Como. 

THE L.IKE OF COMO. 

We were driven in the diligence direct 
to the wharf, and soon found ourselves, 
with a number of passengers, some of 
whom were Americans, on board the 
steamer Unione, On the famous Lake 
Como. Everybody who has seen the 
play of the Lady of Lyons has had im- 
pressed upon their mind the idea that 
Lake Como is the Paradise of Europe ; 
and, whatever it may be as a place of res- 
idence, it is certainly magnificent to the 
eye. The views from every part of this 
lovely sheet of water constantly charm 
and startle the beholder. Bulwer makes 
Claude Melnotte speak of Como, in de- 
scribing to Pauline his fictitious palace, 
as " A deep vale, shut out by Alpine hills 
from the wide world, margined by fruits 
of gold and whispering myrtles, glassing 
softer skies, cloudless save with rare and 
r > eate shadows," and his palace " as lift- 
ing to eternal heaven its marbled walls 
from out a glassy bower of coolest foliage 
musical with birds." 

The scene from the deck of the steamer 
on Lake Como is sublime. The lake is so 



closely shut in by the surrounding moun- 
tains that it is difticult to discover the 
outlet. On turning the quay of C(/mo, 
and passing the first promontor}'-, the 
great beauty of the lake is brought to 
view, and during the whole trip to Colico, 
requiring some four hours, the scene is 
one of almost unbroken beauty and gran- 
deur. Those who speak of the scenery 
of Lake George or the Hudson as equally 
picturesque as Lake Como have certainly 
never seen the latter, especially at this 
season of the year, when its mountain- 
sides are clothed with verdure, and many 
of their tops, seven thousand feet high in 
the air, are glistening with perpetual 
snow. 

For the first ten or fifteen miles after 
leaving Como, numerous bright and gay 
villas of the Milanese aristocracy, sur- 
rounded by luxuriant gardens and vine- 
yards, are scattered along the hillsides of 
the lake, and there are also many ham- 
lets and villages far up the mountain- 
sides. In the forests beyond, the brilliant 
green of the chestnut and walnut con- 
trasts strongly with the grayish tints of 
the olive, which to the unaccustomed eye 
bears a strong resemblance to the willow. 
The mountain-peaks rise mostly to the 
height of over seven thousand feet above 
the surface of the lake, the depth of 
which, at some points, is over two thou- 
sand feet, the water being as clear and 
beautifully blue as the Bay of Naples. 
The lake winds and t-urns among the 
mountains, and at no time can one see 
more than half a mile ahead of the boat. 
Along the lake-shores are a large number 
of palaces of the royal and aristocratic 
families of Italy, and various hotels for 
summer resorts, at which a large number 
of passengers stop to spend a few days, 
to escape from the heat of Milan. 

The mountain-sides for the whole dis- 
tance of thirty miles, from Como to Co- 
lico, are largely inhabited, and every spot 
of land is under cultivation. The moun- 
tain-sides are terraced, and mostly planted 
with grapes up to the elevation of over a 
thousand feet. To the eye, the houses 
and even villages high up on the precip- 
itous sides of these mountains look as if 
they would topple over into the lake. 
The churches and monasteries on the sides 
of the mountains are very numerous, and 
can always be recognized by their steeples 
and belfries. At one point nine could be 
counted, and not more than two or three 
hundred cottages within two miles of 
them. When about half-way wp the lake 
the atmosphere rapidly changed as the 



250 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



snow-clad mountains loomed in the dis- 
tance. At first shawls and thickei- coats 
were in requisition, but before we reached 
Colico overcoats, waterproofs, and every 
sort of wrap we could command, were 
necessary to comfort, — a rapid change 
in temperature, when it is remembered 
that when we left Milan in the morning 
the thermometer was at ninety. The 
same evening at Colico, with winter cloth- 
ing, a fire would have been decidedly com- 
fortable. 

BEAUTIES OF THE LAKE. 

Lake Como cannot be so described as 
to do justice to its varied attractions. Its 
width is not more than three or four 
miles, and the shore on each side is 
always visible from the deck of the 
steamer. The private villas are painted 
in bright colors, gleaming amid gardens 
and groves of lemon-, orange-, and citron- 
trees. Every establishment of any pre- 
tension has its fountain, and all have 
solid granite Avails built up out of the 
water, with water-gates supplied with 
steps for landing and embarkation. The 
little steamer Unione glided from side to 
side of the lake, stopping at the villages, 
and landing or taking off passengers, 
giving us full opportunity to view all 
points of interest. Byron's description 
of the lake is certainly by no means ex- 
aggerated : 

" Sublime, but neither bleak nor bare 
Nor misty are the mountains there — 
Softly sublime — profusely fair; 
Up to tlicir summits clothed in green, 
And fruitful as the vales between, 

Tliey lightly rise, 

And scale the skies, 
And groves and gardens still abound; 

For where no shoot 

Could else take root, 
The peaks are shelved and terraced round. 
Earthward appear, in mingled growth, 
The mulberrj' and maize; above 
The trellis'd vine extends to both 
The leafy shade they love. 
Looks out the white-wall'd cottage here, 
The lowly chapel rises near; 
Far down the foot must roam to reach 
The lovely lake and bending beach; 
■While chestnut green and olive gray 
Checker the steep and winding way." 

But, notwithstanding all these romantic 
surroundings, the people here have a 
practical turn of mind. The streams 
which come down from the snow-clad 
mountains in the rear are availed of for 
milling-purposes, and there are numerous 
manufacturing villages on their banks, 
most of them being for the manufacture 
of silk. Oil the eastern shore of the 
lake a turnpike, with walled bank, fre- 
quently tfnineling its way through the 
mountain-spurs, extends the whole dis- 



tance from Como to Colico, connecting 
with the Splugen Pass across the Alps. 

We reached Colico at four o'clock, and, 
having secured a pretty good dinner, 
prepared to take our departure in the 
diligence which leaves at half-past eight 
o'clock for Chur, in Switzerland, crossing 
the Alps at Splugen Pass, 



SWITZERLAND. 

Chub, Switzerland, August 1, 1873. 

CROSSING THE ALPS. 

We arrived here last evening at five 
o'clock, having been for twenty hours, 
since half-past eight o'clock on Tuesday 
night, confined to a diligence crossing 
the Alps in the midst of a furious 
storm of thunder, lightning, and rain, 
which by no means added to the pleasures 
of the trip. The whole distance from 
Milan, consuming over thirty-two hours, 
was made without rest, a pretty severe 
ordeal for the ladies of the party, espe- 
cially when the numerous incidents of 
this stormy night are taken into consid- 
eration. To cross the Alps has never 
been an accomplishment of which we 
were very ambitious, being always in- 
clined to dodge them by taking to the 
Mediterranean or passing under them at 
Mont Cenis, and we shall certainly never 
undertake to cross them again during a 
thunder-storm. 

A FEARFUL NIGHT ON THE ALPS. 

Starting at nine o'clock, we moved off 
into impenetrable darkness, amid a rap- 
idly-falling rain, which, as we progressed 
up the foot-hills of the mountain, increased 
to a storm-, accompanied with lightning 
and thunder, that echoed and re-echoed 
among the mountains like the explosion 
of a thousand pieces of artillery. Sud- 
denly the diligence stopped, and a not 
very prepossessing countenance, with lan- 
tern in hand, opened the door and told us 
we must all alight. At least this was all 
we could make out of his mixture of 
German and Italian. We obeyed orders, 
and found that the torrent coming down 
from the mountain had swept away the 
bed of the road for a long distance, and 
that some planks had been laid on the 
rocks for the passengers to cross. The 
water was still rushing down in great vol- 
ume, but we were enabled to get over with 
dry feet, and then the vehicle was some- 
how dragged over the chasm, bouncing 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



251 



and jumping in a way that would not have 
made its occupancy at the time very pleas- 
ant. AVe were soon in and off again, 
and in two hours reached Chiavenna, a 
town of about three thousand inhabitants, 
at the foot of the chief ascent. On the 
route the roaring of the swollen mountain- 
streams was equal in sound to that of 
Niagara, and, although we could not see, 
indicated close proximity to a cataract of 
rushing water. 

At Chiavenna, at midnight, we were 
again invited to get out and take seats in 
another diligence, a portion of the passen- 
gers in which had left to cross by another 
route. We were all crowded in, with 
scarcely room to move our limbs, com- 
pelled to carry both baskets and bundles 
in our laps, and soon the lumbering vehi- 
cle was crawling slowly up the mountain- 
ascent. The road was smooth, as all 
Italian turnpikes are, and must have 
been constructed at immense coast, being 
mostly walled to the height of five to ten 
feet, and having many stone bridges 
thrown across the mountain-streams. 
Where the ascent is very rapid it is 
accomplished by a succession of zigzag 
roads, and at break of day we could count 
six or seven road-beds in sight from below, 
over which we had passed in our winding 
course. At some points of the road we 
passed through tunnels cut through the 
solid rock, and on all sides of us were 
beds of snow filling the ravines, where it 
had accumulated during the past winter, 
and thus far resisted the warmth of the 
summer sun. The atmosphere was cold 
and chilly, and the rain continued to pour 
down in torrents, causing numerous cata- 
racts of water, tearing and roaring down 
the mountain-sides, the peaks of which 
towered thousands of feet above our heads. 

STORM ON THE ALPS. 

It was truly a grand spectacle; but it 
requires energy and enthusiasm to make 
the enjoyment counterbalance the annoy- 
ances and fatigue of Alpine journeying. 
We had not gone far after daybreak 
before the diligence was stopped by in- 
formation that the road a short distanc«e 
ahead of us was washed out by a cataract, 
and it would be impossible to pass. In a 
few minutes we reached the point of the 
disaster, and found a mountain-stream 
of great volume pouring down, bringing 
with it boulders and rocks, and had 
already washed out the bed of the road 
to the depth of about six feet. The rain 
was still falling in torrents, and the 
volume of the stream momentarily enlarg- 



ing. To get the diligence over tJiis break 
was an impossibility; but in the course 
of a half-hour another arrived on the 
opposite side of the breach, when it was 
determined to change passengers. Some 
boards were fixed across the chasm, and 
the men were compelled to find their way 
over as best they could, though the dili- 
gence-men did their best to aid the ladies, 
in some cases lifting them bodily. We 
finally all got seated and ready for moving 
on again, pretty well soaked with rain 
and splashed with mud. Among the pas- 
sengers with whom we exchanged vehicles 
were a number of ladies and children. 

ACROSS THE SPLUGEN PASS. 

At eight o'clock we reached the highest 
point of the Splugen, and were much 
pleased to see the mountain-streams re- 
versing their course. There was, how- 
ever, no cessation in the rain, and the 
roaring and dashing torrents were still 
sweeping madly past us. Every moun- 
tain-peak that we passed had a miniature 
cataract pouring down from crag to crag, 
all tending to swell the rush of water 
below. We of course moved down the 
mountain at a much more rapid rate than 
we ascended, and at ten o'clock, after 
passing at Piannaco a miniature waterfall 
of nearly eight hundred feet, reached the 
town of Splugen, near the source of the 
Rhine, where it is simply an insignificant 
mountain-stream, now swollen consider- 
ably, and tumbling in wild confusion in 
its steep descent over its rocky bed. 

At Spliigen we were among the Swiss, 
and found a capital hotel, where we 
obtained the best breakfast we had par- 
taken of for three weeks, and enjoyed it 
with an appetite sharpened by our night's 
travel. The cooking of everything in 
olive oil, which is the practice in Italy, 
is not very palatable to Americans, espe- 
cially as the aforesaid oil, in most places, 
is quite rancid ; and to get where good 
butter was substituted was quite a treat. 
Then the cleanliness of everything about 
gave assurance that we would not take 
back to the diligence any more fleas than 
we had brought across the mountains 
with us in our clothing. This was quite 
a comforting reflection, especially to the 
ladies, who do not expect to be whole 
again in flesh for a week to come. 

THE VIA MALA. 

After leaving Spliigen the turnpike 
follows close to the banks of the Rhine, 
with towering and almost perpendicular 
mountains on either side. In fact, at 



252 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



various points of the road the Rhine 
winds its way through upright walls of 
rock from twelve to thirty feet apart, and 
BIX hundred feet below the turnpike. The 
river, now swollen and enlarged in vol- 
ume by the torrents coming down from 
the mountains, presented a wild rushing 
avalanche of muddy water of a deep choc- 
olate color. Even when coursing along 
over the rocks, with a hundred feet of 
channel, it dashed its spray high in the 
air, and when forced through these 
narrow chasms roared so wildly as almost 
to make the rocks tremble with its force. 
These narrow chasms are called by the 
Swiss the Via Mala. Thousands of tour- 
ists are attracted here to view the Rhine 
forcing its way through these rocky 
gorges. The chasms at some points are 
a half-mile in length, and the scene is a 
grand one where this mighty torrent 
breaks away again into a wider bed and 
sweeps on, only again to be forced and 
compressed through what might almost 
be considered a crevice in the rocks. 
The heavy rain still falling and numerous 
mountain-torrents pouring into the river 
rendered the scene as we viewed it im- 
pressively grand. The storm was the 
greatest one that had occurred for years, 
bringing down from the mountains rocks 
weighing in some instances a half-ton, and 
sweeping away a turnpike and its bridges 
that had stood undisturbed amid the rag- 
ing of the elements for forty years or more. 

MORE DISASTERS. 

At several points on the route the turn- 
pike was found to be badly washed by 
the mountain-sti-eams, but we were en- 
abled to drag along through them until 
we arrived near the village of Andrea, 
when we were again stopped by a stream 
that had not only torn away the stone 
turnpike bridge, but had piled up on 
either side of the road-bed about ten feet 
of mud and rock, the former of the con- 
sistency of very soft mortar, as a number 
of the passengers found upon venturing to 
walk over it to view the stream of mud 
and rock still pouring down from the 
mountain and losing itself in the rushing 
waters of the wild and turbulent Rhine. 
Here we found a number of men belong- 
ing to the diligence-company at work 
making preparations to carry the pas- 
sengers and baggage across the chasm, 
which was finally accomplished by laying 
new boards over the mud and over the 
bed of the torrent rapidly subsiding, as the 
rain had ceased to fall for about an hour. 
The ladies of course got their skirts muddy 



and their feet wet again, but after the 
experiences of the night they had learned 
to regard this as a slight matter, and we 
were soon off once more on our way 
through the magnificent valley of the 
Rhine, with its towering mountains, some 
of them rising six thousand feet above 
us, and all with their sides and foot-hills 
terraced and cultivated wherever vegeta- 
tion could be made to take root. 

HEAD OF THE RHINE. 

It was interesting, as we coursed our 
way along the banks of the Rhine, to no- 
tice its gradual increase in volume, swollen 
by various tributaries, and as it was on 
this occasion by thousands of mountain- 
torrents. Long before we reached Chur 
it had increased from an insignificant 
stream to a wide and rushing river, hurled 
along with wonderful impetuosity. At 
Chur its bed is half a mile in width, and 
its current indicates that it is still rapidly 
and madly coursing its way down towards 
the falls, where it takes a tumble over one 
hundred feet, and thenceforth becomes a 
quiet, respectable, staid, and navigable 
river, distinguished throughout its course 
for the magnificence of its scenery and 
the beauty of the castles and palaces on 
its banks, as well as the verdure and su- 
perior cultivation of the bordering land. 

Switzerland is a land of mountains and 
lakes, a land of valleys teeming with vege- 
tation, a land of glaciers, torrents, and 
waterfalls. It is a famous summer resort 
for the whole world, and now here at Chur 
all the hotels, at least a dozen in number, 
are thronged with strangers, and every 
train brings a new supply. This is the 
point from which excursions are made to 
view the famous A^ia Mala, and as we came 
down the turnpike yesterday we passed 
scores of tourists, with their guide-books 
and glasses in hand. There were also a 
considerable number visible at all the 
hotels on the route, and this morning we 
witnessed the departure of a half-dozen 
more loaded diligences, with ladies and 
gentlemen of all nationalities. 

ATTRACTIONS OF SWITZERLAND. 

The whole of Switzerland is not as large 
as the State of New York. The Alps di- 
vide it from Germany on the east, and 
Italy on the south and southwest. It is 
a glorious little republic, situated in the 
very heart of Europe, and the love of the 
people for independence, and their intense 
affection for their native land, have taught 
the surrounding monarchies that they can- 
not bring it into subjection. The great 



AMEBIC AX SPECTACLES. 



charm of Switzerland, next to its natural 
scenery, is the air of well-being, the neat- 
ness, the sense of propriety imprinted on 
the people, their dwellings, and their plots 
of land. They generally own their home- 
steads, and are always building, repairing, 
altering, or improving something about 
their tenements. In the agricultural re- 
gions everybody works, men, women, and 
children, and even the cows have their 
allotted task, whilst the land is cultivated 
almost entirely by hand- or garden-labor. 
The female, although not exempt from 
out-door work, undei-takes the thinking 
and managing departments in the family 
affairs, and the husband is but the execu- 
tive officer. The wife is, in fact, very re- 
markably superior in manners, hal)its, 
tact, and intelligence to the husband in 
almost every family in the middle and 
lower classes of Switzerland. 

The hotels of Switzerland are the best 
in Europe, and some travelers go so far 
as to assert that they are the best in the 
world. They are neat and clean and 
comfortable, and the food is prepared in 
a plain but substantial manner, which is 
peculiarly palatal)le to those who have 
been sojourning in Italy or France and 
eating they scarcely know what. You 
see snails in market in Italy and imagine 
that the pdMs have one or two coiled up 
in their depths. The meat is first boiled 
to make your soup, and then served up as 
roast meat. Of all things detestable to 
spend an hour over is an Italian table- 
d'hote, with its incomprehensible succes- 
sion of dishes and its scarcity of every- 
thing that is palatable. They feed one 
hundred persons at a dollar per head off 
of ten dollars' worth of provisions, and 
then boil the bones and whatever is left 
to make the soup for the next meal. 
With this kind of feed it does not cost us 
as much to live as it does at home, but we 
imagine that our hotel-keepers would soon 
become millionaires if they could econ- 
omize food as it is done in an Italian hotel. 

Zurich, Switzerland, August 2, 1873. 
We remained over a day longer than 
we anticipated in the Swiss town ofCoire 
(pronounced Chur), in order to enjoy the 
delicious climate, view the town and its 
surroundings, and visit the famous springs 
of Pfaffers, at the village of Ragatz, about 
fifteen miles distant, which is regarded as 
one of the most singular spots in Europe. 

THE TOWN OF COIRE. 

Coire is situated on the river Plessur, 
which a short distance below empties into 



the Rhine. It is the capital of the Grisons, 
and contains about seven thousand in- 
habitants. It owes its importance to the 
trade of the SplUgen and Bernardin Passes 
of the Alps, which have attracted to it all 
the railroads of Switzerland whose ter- 
mini are here. All travel across the Alps 
by either of these passes concentrates at 
Coire, and a half-dozen diligences leave 
here daily with excursionists and travel- 
ers. Those who desire to see all that is 
beautiful and wonderful in the Alps with- 
out crossing them come here to make 
an excursion to Splugen, which can be 
reached by diligence in about four hours. 
A seat on the top of the diligence gives 
a fine view of the whole country, as well 
as of the roaring Rhine on its passage 
through the Via Mala. 

THE SPRINGS OF PFAFFERS. 

The scenery around Ragatz is wild and 
romantic. Plere, too, a mountain-stream 
comes tearing down the clefts of a rock 
like the Via Mala, and were it not so near 
the Via Mala it would be considered a 
great wonder. The rush of water is as 
great, the roar as loud, but the width of 
the cleft through which the river is forced 
is much narrower, though equally as deep 
from the surface. There were large 
numbers of visitors arriving on every 
train to view the springs and the scenery, 
and at least one hundred carriages with 
visitors from neighboring resorts arrived 
during our stay. 

As we approach the village of Ragatz 
the precipitous sides of the foot-hills be- 
yond are seen to have a break or divide 
in the middle, forming a deep ravine, 
through which the Tamina River flows, or 
rather seethes and surges between a nar- 
row cleft in the rocks with an impetuosity 
equal to that of the Rhine among the 
Alps. A carriage-road so narrow that 
turn-out places have been made at certain 
points, and which barely admits of a car- 
riage- and foot-way, has been constructed 
high up on one side of this ravine, at 
great expense. The sides of this carton 
rise precipitously to a height of six hun- 
dred to eight hundred feet, in some places 
overhanging the path and shutting out a 
view of the lofty mountains which hem it 
in. Trees here and there hang over the 
edge of the cliffs as if just ready to fall 
and close the gorge with their own wrecks. 
It seems sometimes almost as if the walls 
of the rocky cliffs had met in front and 
swallowed the intruding road which crept 
within its jaws ; but over embankments 
and grooves, in the sheer upright rocks, 



254 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and cuts not large or long enough to de- 
serve the name of tunnels, the road dodges 
as it were the difficulties and works its 
tortuous way along for two and a half 
miles to the Bath House and Hotel 
Pfaffers, which extend across the entire 
width of the ravine. 

It is through this house that you enter 
the great gorge, which might rather be 
termed a crack in the mountain. The 
sides here are but a few feet apart, rising 
perpendicularly from the foaming waters 
far below and almost meeting overhead, 
so far above you that you cannot dis- 
tinguish the exact outlines of the over- 
hanging cliifs, from the edges of which 
small rivulets drop their tiny streams to 
mingle with the noisy torrent below. The 
only path through this part is a wooden 
balcony fastened or suspended to the rock 
on one side, with the rushing river far 
below and a glimmering light overhead. 
Following this fragile pathway, with um- 
brella raised, for six or eight hundred feet, 
you come to the source of the Hot Springs 
in a chamber cut into the solid rock, 
whence a steam continually issues, and 
where, by the aid of a lamp, you see the 
hot water pouring into a large tank, from 
which it is conveyed in wooden pipes to 
the bath-house for use. The temperature 
of the water is 100° Fahrenheit. It is re- 
markably pure, but tasteless. 

Returning, j'ou note the crowd of vis- 
itors, for this is no unusual day, who 
fill the route. During our brief visit of 
two or three hours there must have been 
three hundred visitors, of whom two hun- 
dred walked to and from the railroad sta- 
tion. In one procession were twelve 
carriages, each with its driver walking 
and cracking his whip to give warning 
to pedestrians of his approaching team. 
It was curious to note the difference in 
the several nationalities who there made 
a display of their good or bad breeding. 
The Germans invariably bowed and often 
removed the hat, the French said a spark- 
ling "Bon-jour," but the Americans and 
English passed on without a sign, unless, 
indeed, the turn of the head for one last 
look after passing generally distinguished 
the American from his English cousin. 

THE SWISS RAILROADS. 

We left Coire this morning by railroad 
for Zurich, which is about one hundred 
miles distant. On entering the cars we 
found them, for the first time in Europe, 
constructed on the American plan, except 
that they have a partition at one end for 
ladies who are traveling alone. They 



have conductors the same as our roads, 
who pass through the cars and collect the 
tickets. They carry a silver whistle, 
with which they signal to the engineer to 
go ahead ; he responds with the steam- 
whistle, and the train moves ofl". There 
are three classes and three rates of fare, 
the only difference in the cars being that 
the higher rates have better upholstering 
than the lower rates. 

BEAUTY OF SWITZERLAND. 

The country which we passed, although 
very mountainous, was through a broad 
valley, and most of the mountains being of 
very gradual ascent were cultivated to their 
very summits. The vegetation is very 
luxuriant, and the cottages and farm- 
houses bright and beautiful, with all the 
evidences around them of thrift and in- 
dustry. We passed a large number of 
ruins of old castles, with their towers and 
battlements, which are left standing as a 
reminder of the days when they were the 
strongholds of a tyranny now passed away 
forever. There are no palaces in Switzer- 
land except those reared by industry, the 
homes of men who have carved out their 
own fortunes by the sweat of the brow. 
Royalty has no home here, and the people 
have allowed everything that pertained to 
it to go to ruin. Well would it be if 
some of their neighbors would follow 
their example. There are no soldiers of 
any account here, no standing army, very 
few fortifications, no extensive garrisons 
or military structures. The people are 
all producers, .and the country is prosper- 
ous. Every man is, however, accustomed 
to arms, and ready to do battle for his 
country at a moment's notice. 

The great mass of the people through 
the section of Switzerland we are now 
traverisng are Protestants, though in the 
rural and mountainous districts the ma- 
jority are Catholics. It is estimated that 
three-fifths of the whole population of the 
country are Protestants, and two-fifths 
Catholics. 

ON "fair Zurich's waters." 
This, if we remember right, was the 
title of a sentimental love-song, or it may 
have been " By the Margin of Fair Zu- 
rich's Waters," which the young ladies 
of America a long time ago delighted to 
sing to their admirers. Well, here we 
are on Lake Zurich, and a fairer or more 
beautiful sheet of water it would be 
difficult to find anywhere. On reaching 
Rapperschwyl on the railroad, which is at 
the head of navigation of the lake, we left 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



255 



the cars and took passage on the steam- 
boat St.Gothard for Zurich, in order to view 
the scenery on the route. On both sides 
of the lake there are large and stirring 
towns, the houses presenting a neat ap- 
pearance with their white walls and green 
shutters. Here there are numerous manu- 
facturing villages, the silk-mills being run 
by the mountain-streams, and many of 
them by steam. The distance to Zurich 
on the lake is about twenty miles, but, as 
the boat stopped for passengers at many 
of the towns, first on one side and then on 
the other, the distance run was fully thirty 
miles. The lake is five miles wide at its 
broadest point, but the general average 
width is only about three miles. 

The mountains bordering Lake Zurich 
are not more than fifteen hundred feet 
high, and are not as bleak and bold as 
those around Lake Como. Their ascent 
is so gradual that they are cultivated 
mostly to their tops, the dark green of the 
mulberry-trees and the lighter shade of 
the newly-mown fields presenting a charm- 
ing contrast. The neat cottages and farm- 
honses, all pure white, present from the 
lake a most attractive picture. Lake 
Como is for the most part adorned with 
gay villas and hotels for the accommoda- 
tion of pleasure-seekers, with summer 
palaces for royal retirement ; but Lake 
Zurich presents everywhere a scene of 
busy life and of industry. Steamers were 
plying upon it, towing rafts and lighters, 
whilst other gay and handsome crafts 
were conveying passengers to and fro. 
We passed before reaching Zurich prob- 
ably thirty towns, ranging from two 
thousand to ten thousand inhabitants, the 
buildings generally being from four to 
five stories, all painted white, with the 
never-failing green shutters. The red- 
tiled roofs of Italy give way here to slate 
and cedar shingles, and we can almost 
imagine that we are passing the towns 
on one of our Western rivers, even the 
German names on the houses which greet 
our vision as we stop at the wharves serv- 
ing to increase the illusion. 

As we approach Zurich the mountains 
become less elevated, and towns and 
cottages and manufacturing establish- 
ments more numerous. Gay villas and 
country-seats of the solid men of Zurich 
are also interspersed among the cottages, 
some of which have their towers and 
parapets in imitation of the olden time 
when Switzerland was an appendage of 
Austria, and l)efore she had secured and 
maintained her independence from roy- 
alty and kingcraft. Perhaps some of 



them are the remnants of those da.ys, now 
in possession of the sturdy republicans 
who have labored to prove to the nations 
of Europe the capacity of man for self- 
government. 

Most of the manufactories on the banks 
of Lake Zurich are for silk and velvets, 
for the hills are covered with mulberry- 
trees. The large buildings standing high 
up on the hills, all of them white, check- 
ered with black, are the cocooneries, 
where the worms are fed that supply 
these immense establishments with the 
raw material. As we approach Zurich, 
towards the easternmost end of the lake, 
the grape is also largely cultivated, at 
some points scarcely anything else appear- 
ing in the fields. Although Zurich has 
three times the number of inhabitants 
that Como has, it has not one-third the 
number of churches. What there are 
of them are bright and beautiful and 
new, with steeples and clocks, and have 
the merit of having been erected by the 
present generation, instead of having 
come as heirlooms from remote ancestors. 

Zurich, Switzerland, August 4, 1873. 

THE CITY OF ZURICH. 

The city of Zurich is situated at the 
northern extremity of the lake, the river 
Limmat passing through it. This is a 
stream of considerable volume, and its 
waters are so clear that the pebbles can 
be seen at a depth of some twelve or 
fifteen feet. The population of Zurich, 
including the suburbs, is about forty-six 
thousand, and its location on the banks 
of the lake is one of surpassing beauty. 
The hills which surround it are green to 
the summit, gemmed with lovely villages 
and beautifulvillas, whilst the snow-capped 
towers of the Alpine region fill up south- 
ward the distant view. Turning as it were 
their swords into pruning-hooks, the ram- 
parts which formerly surrounded Zurich 
have been changed into delightful prome- 
nades and flower-gardens, the scene from 
which about sunset is perfectly enchant- 
ing- 

The inhabitants of Zurich are distin- 
guished for their spirit and enterprise, 
and the numerous institutions for the 
cultivation of leai'ning in the town have 
given it the name of the literary capital 
of Protestant Switzerland. They are 
quite puritanical, however, in their no- 
tions, so much so that there are no 
theatres allowed here, and to give a 
private ball special permission must be 
asked of the authorities. 



256 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



THE PEOPLE OF ZURICH. 

There is probably less intoxicating 
liquor or even beer consumed in Zurich 
than in any city of its size in the world. 
Taverns or drinking-houses are very 
scarce, and these are confined mostly to 
the sale of beer and wine. Drunkenness is 
said to 1)6 almost unknown, and many other 
vices that prosper elsewhere have no ex- 
istence here. There are no corner loun- 
gers, everybody appearing to have some- 
thing to do and being intent upon doing 
it. We have not in three days met a 
beggar, or any of the usual sharpers who 
dog the steps of strangers in other cities 
on the Continent. 

The streets of the city are elegantly 
paved and are kept scrupulously clean. 
The stone blocks used for paving are all 

Erecisely one size, cut for the purpose, 
eing about four by two and a half inches 
upon the surface. 

The drives around Zurich are neither 
very extensive nor attractive, and the chief 
source of amusement therefore is sailing 
and boating on the lakes. A great many 
ladies can be seen every evening out with 
their friends handling the oars as grace- 
fully as a Spanish lady would her fan. 
The boys all have their neat little boats 
with oar-blades tipped with crimson, and 
take great pride in keeping them bright 
and beautiful. 

We have already mentioned that the 
dogs and cows are made to work here. We 
saw to-day quite a number of cows draw- 
ing wagons. They were very large white 
animals, and one of them had evidently 
brought her milk with her from the 
country, for a woman was milking her 
as she stood with the yoke around her 
neck. The dogs also work, and appear 
as happy <and contented as our useless 
curs. The hand-carts have generally a 
dog yoked on one side, whilst a woman 
will be pulling on the other. Thus 
woman and dog walk side by side, each 
performing their share of the labor. 
They appear to be fond of each other, 
and kind and sociable. When the mis- 
tress leaves her wagon the dog guards it, 
and it would generally be hazardous for 
any one to interfere with it until she 
returns. 

SIGHTS OF ZURICH. 

Zurich has quite a number of popular 
institutions. There are here a university, 
which was established in 1833, a poly- 
technic school, in a magnificent building 
recently erected a deaf and dumb insti- 
tution, and one for the blind, an insti- 



tution for medicine and surgery, and 
various educational institutions for the 
poor. It is noted as being the place 
where the Reformation first broke out in 
Switzerland ; and the cathedral in M'hich 
Zuinglius, the great Reformer, first de- 
nounced the errors of the Church of Rome 
in 1519, is still standing. The town 
library is a large and spacious edifice, 
containing some fifty-five thousand vol- 
umes and a large collection of anti- 
quities. Among the curiosities in the 
arsenal is exhibited what is claimed to be 
the identical bow with which William 
Tell is said to have shot the apple from 
his son's head; though historians gen- 
erally contend that Tell and his bow and 
apple are chiefly fictions of Schiller. The 
battle-axe, sword, and coat of mail of 
Zuinglius, which are also exhibited, are 
doubtless genuine. 

The promenades in and about Zurich 
are numerous and delightful. The Hohe, 
or High Promenade, is one of the prin- 
cipal, and is reached by winding stairs, 
overlooking the whole city. A beautiful 
avenue of old linden-trees surrounds them, 
and from the seats here provided the lake 
and surrounding country are spread out 
like a map. A monument is here erected 
to Hans Georg Nageli, the celebrated 
composer. 

EUROPE AND AMERICA. 

To make a rapid tour of Europe is un- 
doubtedly very pleasant. It is pleasant 
to notice the habits and manners of the 
people, and it is pleasant to look upon 
scenes and views often read of but never 
fully comprehended. But how any Ameri- 
can can prefer life in Europe to a resi- 
dence in his own country we have never 
been able to comprehend. Switzerland, is 
pleasing to the American because the 
government is not upheld by the bayonet, 
liecause the people are free and inde- 
pendent, and for the reason that " liberty, 
equality, and fraternity'' are not here un- 
meaning words, as they are in France. It 
is pleasant to be in Switzerland, because 
the people are happy and contented and 
proud of their country and its institutions. 
It is interesting to view its mountain- 
peaks, clad in never-melting snow, and to 
sail on its beautiful lakes and scan ita 
vine-clad hills. But, with all its exemp- 
tions from the evils which afflict nearly all 
other European countries, we can discover 
no attractions for an American that would 
counterbalance the blessings and advan- 
tages of life at home. 

Italy has its attractions which may war- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



257 



rant a prolonged visit, but there is noth- 
ing- in the country, the people, or the 
climate that could induce a permanent 
residence. The study of painting or 
sculpture or vocalism induces a great 
many Americans to remain for some time 
in Rome or Florence, but it would be dif- 
ficult to find a more unhappy set of men 
and women than these same American 
artists. Even Mi*. Powers, who had been 
tied to Italy for half a lifetime, always 
sorrowed over the necessity which had pre- 
vented him until almost the close of his 
life from making that visit to his beloved 
Cincinnati. 

Of all the states of Europe, Switzerland 
is the only one in which the American 
can feel fully at home, provided he under- 
stands the language Paris will do for a 
season, but the American can find no at- 
tractions in London. The worship of 
blood and the toadyism to the scions of 
aristocracy, however infixmous they may 
be in all their private relations, are sicken- 
ing to the American. There is a freedom 
and manliness among the Swiss that are 
not to be found in any monarchial govern- 
ment. Their pride of nationality has 
something more than mere military glory 
to rest upon, whilst they reverence and 
worship brain rather than blood. The 
American can here educate his children 
and engraft them in the languages better 
than at home, but still it seems to us that 
America is a better place both to live in 
and to die in than any European country. 
That many millions of Germans are of 
the same opinion is evidenced by the 
number who have already emigrated, and 
by the hundreds of thousands of those 
who are looking forward with hope to the 
time when they can move off with their 
families for the same destination. Of all 
the Germans the Swiss alone seldom emi- 
grate, being happy, contented, and pros- 
perous at home. 

SUNDAY IN ZURICH. 

Sunday in Zurich is more strictly ob- 
served than in any European city we 
have yet visited. The stores, with the ex- 
ception of bakeries and tobacco-shops, 
are all closed, and every manner of busi- 
ness suspended. The whole population 
is out in Sunday attire, and the beauti- 
ful promenades that surround the city are 
thronged during the afternoon and even- 
ing with ladies, gentlemen, and children. 
The churches, both Protestant and Catho- 
lic, are all well attended in the morning. 
American ideas of the German or Swiss, 
both as regards social characteristics and 
17 



customs, are generally formed from the 
appearance of the throngs of emigrants 
constantly passing through Baltimore and 
other cities. It will, therefore, be a mat- 
ter of surprise to many to learn that in 
^he city of Zurich the people, both male 
and female, dress precisely as American 
citizens. The ladies have their over- 
skirts looped up, and wear waterfalls, and 
bonnets, and ribbons, and laces, lockets, 
chains, and jewelry, just as American 
ladies. Fewer of the class of Germans 
we meet coming from the ships are to be 
seen here than in Baltimore. We passed 
a number of emigrants yesterday walking 
Indian file, probably making their way to 
a seaport to emigrate. There is, in fact, 
but little here in the appearance of the 
city, its houses, or its people to distinguish 
it from an American city, except that the 
streets are kept cleaner and are better 
paved. The ladies look strong and hearty, 
and appear to know nothing of any ex- 
clusive claim of the sex to constitutional 
weakness. They generally have fresh, 
rosy cheeks, and the majority of them are 
blondes, though they do not appear to be 
aware that such is the fashionable com- 
plexion on the other side of the ocean. 
The children on the streets are neat and 
tidy, but no eff"ort seems to be made to 
array them prematurely in the style of 
men and women. They look well and 
comfortable, clean and happy, as every- 
thing does " by the margin of fair Zu- 
rich's waters." 

THE HOUSES IN ZURICH. 

Verj' few of the private residences in 
Zurich have front doors on the street. 
They have side-yards, with a high iron 
gate in front, and the main entrance is 
on the side of the house, inside the gate. 
This is also the case with the banks and 
a great many wholesale business houses, 
which are not only shut in after this man- 
ner, but which have no signs up, and no 
indication of their business. Many of 
the stores, and especially the bakers' 
shops, are without front doors to their es- 
tablishments. In the centre of their front 
windows there is a sash on hinges, and a 
bell to pull. You pull the bell, and some 
one comes to the opening to serve you 
wi th what you may want. Others that have 
doors and a fine display in their windows 
keep them locked, and you must ring the 
bell to obtain admission. It is evidently 
not a ver}^ stirring town for retail trade, 
but what they have for sale is of extra 
quality. The confectionery establish- 
ments are equal to any in our large cities, 



258 



EUROPE VIEWED TEROTJGH 



and much better than we have met with 
either in France or Italj'. The houses are 
generally four or five stories hifi;h, built 
of stone and rough-cast Avhite, with green 
shutters. 

The public buildings are constructed of 
blue sandstone, and most of them very 
elegant and elaborate in their architecture. 
The railroad depot is a grand structure 
of blue stone, adorned with statuary and 
sculpture, and the main building is much 
larger than our " Camden Station." It 
has along its entire front, which is about 
five hundred feet, a high colonnade formed 
of heavy stone pillars. The Avaiting- 
rooms for passengers are elegantly fitted 
up. 

EiKsiEDELN, August, 1873. 

THE BLACK VIRGIN OF SWITZERLAND. 

It would not do for us to leave Zurich 
without visiting Einsiedeln, a few miles 
from Richterswyl, on the lake, where the 
" Black Virgin of Switzerland" draws 
many thousands of Roman Catholic pil- 
grims every year to her shrine. In former 
years the number of pilgrims Avas esti- 
mated at twohundred thousand annually, 
but of late the number has somewhat 
declined. Next to Notre Dame de Lo- 
rette, of Italy, Einsiedeln is more visited 
by pilgrims than any other place in the 
world. 

THE SWISS MECCA. 

The route to Einsiedeln for an hour and 
a half was over the Lake of Zurich, now 
graced liy the visible presence of the 
grand Alpine peaks, which had been 
hitherto shrouded with clouds. The great 
Rhone glacier was plainly distinguished 
from the white caps of the mountain- 
summits, being different in shape and 
shade of whiteness. 

At Richterswyl we left the boat and 
mounted on top of a diligence for a ride 
of nine miles over a mountain to this 
place, the Mecca of German and Swiss 
Catholics. The scenery was finer and the 
views over the lake district far more ex- 
tensive than can be obtained in the vicin- 
ity of Zurich. The scattered houses were 
large and picturesque in appearance, 
lighted with immense numbers of win- 
dows, before which could be seen small 
looms in operation on every variety of 
stuff which consists of " woof and warp," 
— here a silk of glossy blackness, next an 
ingrain carpet, then plaids and stripes, 
each with its industrious weaver, and 
these operatives invariably men. 

While our diligence waited at the 
wharf for its full complement of passen- 



gers, our attention was directed to the 
stream of carriages and pedestrians which 
constantly came to the landing-place; 
when once started, this concourse in no 
wise lessened. jMost were of the laboring 
classes, and fully half were women, pre- 
senting every variety of dress and feature. 
Many walked devoutly along, repeating 
their prayers in an audible voice, and all 
Avere staid and solemn. Those who could 
pay but a scant price for a ride had bar- 
gained for a half-starved steed and driver, 
and several times we counted fifteen al^le- 
bodied persons drawn by a skeleton horse. 

Seven hundred and eighty-five houses, 
besides the buildings of the abbey and 
monastery, constitute the town of Ein- 
siedeln, with a population of eight thou- 
sand devoted to the entertainment of pil- 
grims, and to traffic in prayer-books, 
beads, images, and candles. The rows of 
little shops and booths, and the display 
of cheap gewgaws, which are considered 
religious (made so by a colored print of 
the Virgin or of some saint), will surpass 
belief. From the rear window of the 
hotel Ave can count over fifty, and this 
not at the abbey front. The salcsAvomen, 
Avho speak half a dozen languages, are 
Aveaving the beads with silver wire, Avhile 
they artfully shake their precious stock 
in trade, making the shop alive with the 
tinkling of the beads and the swaying 
back and forth of the pendent clusters. 
Some articles are curiously wrought and 
dyed, some are odorous Avith gums of the 
tropics, but most are of gay colors in 
glass and bone. Everywhere is displayed 
the crucifix. We ^^f^^^sed an immense 
crucifix on the street on entering the 
town, and found the principal ornament 
of the dining-room of this really elegant 
hotel to be a crucifix, where one usually 
finds a mirror! 

So extensive is the traffic in toys and 
relics here offered that in one publishing- 
office in the village fourteen lithographic 
presses, sixty bookbinders, and one hun- 
dred and fifty children (the latter engaged 
in illumination) are constantly employed. 

THE ABBEY OF EINSIEDELN. 

The abbey building is surrounded by 
a high Avail, decorated with statues and 
immense gateways, Avhich gives to the 
establishment an appearance of great 
extent. The cathedral, clearly defined 
by its two slender towers, occupies the 
central part, and is one hundred and 
seventeen feet in width. The present 
building dates from 1704, but the abbey 
was founded by Charlemagne. The title 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



259 



of the abbot has been Prince of Einsie- 
deln since the year 1274. This title was 
conferred in consequence of the great 
riches and influence of this order. At 
present there are from eighty to one hun- 
dred monks in the abbey. They teach 
the village schools, which are considered 
superior to others, and manage their large 
farm with skill and economy. Their 
horses are remarkably fine, and their 
cattle also. The number of services which 
are held every day in the cathedral, and 
the time they must necessarily devote to 
the confessional, would make their life a 
busy one. 

THE BLACK VIRGIN. 

The interior of the cathedral is deco- 
rated with modern pictures, statuary, and 
elaborate gilded ceilings. In the nave, 
isolated from the rest of the church, stands 
the Chapel of the Virgin, of black marble, 
adorned with panels wrought in bas- 
relief. The lower part is sadly disfigured 
by the rubbish of melted wax and tallow. 
Each devotee lights from one to a dozen 
tapers, and with a bit of the melted 
candle they are made to adhere to the 
costly polished exterior. Through a 
grating you can see in the interior an 
image of the Virgin in black marble, the 
eyes and lips painted, and the statue 
dressed in a gold-embroidered brocade 
of dingy, uncertain color. The height 
of this statue is not over two feet. It is 
placed above an altar, and the head of the 
Virgin and the cross in front glisten with 
precious stones, while the entire altar is 
lit up with reflected rays from the sap- 
phires and emeralds. The golden swing- 
ing lamp, which always is lighted, Avas 
the gift of Queen Hortense, and is an art 
treasure in itself. 

The great candelabrum in the midst of 
the cathedral was the gift of Napoleon 
I. The Hohenzollern princes have also 
made valuable presents here, especially 
in the last few years. The paintings 
given by them, representing Bible scenes, 
have portraits of the Hohenzollern family 
introduced. The excuse for this is found 
in the tradition that Saint Meinrad, from 
whose sanctity all this wealth has grown, 
was one of their ancestors. 

THE VTISPER CHANTS. 

There are six great organs among the 
arches and pillars and recesses of the 
cathedral, and in the rear of the great 
altar there is a screen, formed of rows of 
black marble pillars, which conceal from 
the worshipers the monks who chant the 



vesper service. Upon several of the side- 
altars are effigies, life-size, of the saints 
to whom they are dedicated ; some are 
nearly skeletons and almost nude, others 
have swords and plenty of gilt trappings. 
All are in recumbent postures. 

FOUNTAIN OF THE VIRGIN. 

In the large sloping court which fronts 
the cathedral stands the famous fountain 
of the Virgin, with its fourteen jets of 
water, surmounted by a bronze image. 
The legend says that St. Meinrad saw the 
Saviour, when He came to consecrate the 
abbey, drink from one of these jets; but, 
as it is uncertain which, pilgrims avoid 
the possibility of mistake by religiously 
drinking from each in succession. 

" Begging is forbidden in this church, 
under pain of corporeal punishment," was 
an inscription in former times : but it is 
now changed to a fine of five francs for 
the first offense, and twenty for the sec- 
ond. We were hugely amused with the 
novelty of the idea, but in that district it 
may be less incongruous to fine beggars 
than elsewhere, for nowhere can a more 
thrifty, industrious, and prosperous com- 
munity be found. There are no beggars 
in Switzerland. 

INDIVIDUAL PRAYER. 

The distinguishing feature of this ca- 
.thedral service is its avowed approval of 
individual, spontaneous prayer. The pil- 
irrims, who come from every nation on 
the globe, either singly_ or in groups, at- 
tracted together by some common sym- 
pathy, make the rounds of the altars, and 
each in his own dialect and his own chosen 
words audibly utters his petitions. A 
young couple walked hand in hand near 
us, uttering thanksgivings and pouring 
forth their grateful emotions, who may 
have vowed that their wedding tour should 
be to " Our Lady of the Hermits.'' 

LAMENTATIONS OF THE PILGRIMS. 

But more impressive than all besides is 
the earnestness of the congregation gath- 
ered here. The lame, the halt, the blind, 
have brought here their heavy burdens, 
and the desolate and the sorrow-stricken 
have come here for comfort. There was 
no indifferent worshiper in the church. 
The number present at vespers was not 
less than three hundi-ed, and few if any 
of these were residents of the village ; 
and this is only a repetition of the daily 
scene that has been enacting here for 
hundreds of years. Many aged, decrepit 
women prayed till their souls seemed to 



260 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



light up their faces with their inmost 
thoughts. 

One young man habited in army blue, 
but with a crutch and missing leg, pros- 
trated himself before the Virgin's chapel, 
and there, with covered face and trem- 
bling hands, he still lay when the audi- 
ence slowly withdrew. At times the 
church resounds with beseeching prayers, 
the groans and lamentations of the pil- 
grims ; but never has this noise or con- 
fusion been found to detract from the sol- 
emn emotions or the reverential tone of 
those who partake in its services. 

SCENE AT THE CONFESSIONALS. 

Passing from the cathedral to the con- 
fessionals, which are in as many lan- 
guages as at St. Peter's in Rome, Ave found 
throngs waiting their turn. The room is 
exceedingly chaste, and all the pictures 
are drawn from the history of the Prodi- 
gal Son. 

When the usual vesper service was 
ended, eighteen monks slowly walked 
through the cathedral to the Chapel of 
the Virgin ; the iron gratings were 
opened; they entered, and, kneeling, sang 
a wailing, broken-hearted lamentation, 
which was echoed again and again 
through the vaulted ceiling, and, as their 
tones softened and mingled, more than 
once the echoes gave back their notes in 
pure soprano voices, mingling with the 
clear and powerful tenors and bassos. 
Hearing this, one could understand how 
superstition and credulity might find here 
fresh miracles every day, and "Notre 
Dame des Eremites" might receive her 
two hundred thousand annual visitors in 
the years to come as she has done in the 
years gone past. 

Apart from these religious interests, the 
town is well located for a summer sojourn. 
There are six lines of diligences depart- 
ing from it every day, and by another 
summer they will be served by the rail- 
road, which is more than half completed 
at this time. It has 1)een known most 
favorably in England, and many English 
families spend the entire season there. 

Lake Lucerne, Switze-rland, 
Town of Fluei.en, August 8, 1873. 

The great drawback to travel upon the 
lakes of Switzerland is the certainty of 
rain, no matter how promising the weather 
may be when you take your departure 
for an excursion on their placid waters. 
It is certain to come at some time during 
the day, more especially at such times as 



you especially desire to view some of the 
grandest scenery, 

TRIP TO FLUELEN. 

We left Lucerne yesterday morning 
for a trip to Fluelen, intending to return 
in the afternoon in time to ascend Mount 
Righi and remain on its summit until 
morning to witness the rising of the sun 
and obtain the three-hundred-mile view 
which is said to be obtainable from its 
six thousand feet of elevation. AVe had 
scarcely been an hour on the lake, however, 
before the inevitable rain commenced to 
fall, and finally settled into a steady storm, 
inducing us to go ashore at Fluelen and 
take up our quarters for the night at 
the William Tell Hotel, that being the 
most inviting in appearance of the sev- 
eral hotels of which that town mainly 
consists. 

LAKE LUCERNE. 

The Lake of Lucerne is said to be the 
most beautiful of all the lakes of Switzer- 
land. If the guide-books had described 
it as the grandest there would have been 
no disputing the fact, but for beauty the 
Lake of Zurich is far superior. The 
mountains are more steep and imposing 
on Lucerne, towering up in awful grand- 
eur six to seven thousand feet above the 
level of the lake, and looking as if they 
might topple over upon you at any mo- 
ment, or that the cottages, hamlets, and 
summer resorts high up on their sides 
might with a slight gust of wind lose 
their hold upon the rocks. Most of the 
mountains are covered with cedar-trees, 
except where too precipitous for the roots 
to hold, whilst there is an occasional 
clearing and a cottage at points where, 
as you look at it from the deck of the 
steamer, it looks as if inaccessible for any 
two-legged creature not provided with 
Avings. Still, you can see the smoke curl- 
ing up from their chimneys three and 
four thousand feet above what would be 
considered a foothold for ordinary mortals. 
At several points on the lake we could 
see, high up on the mountain-sides, large 
hotels, four or five hundred feet front, 
with flags waving from their steeples, and 
all the evidences of being occupied to 
their full capacity. 

THE TOWN OF FLUELEN. 

The width of the lake is not more than 
a mile to a mile and a half, and so ab- 
rupt are its windings and turnings among 
the mountains that at no time can the 
eye discern its corirse half a mile ahead. 



1 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



261 



The boat appears all the time as if shut 
up in a basin of water with no outlet, 
and as if steering direct for the rocks. 
Every mountain is precipitous, many of 
them so much so as to be uninhabitable, 
except in an occasional gorge, and in each 
of these is sure to be found a town with 
its array of hotels. We have spent the 
past night in one of these towns, the 
mountain in its upward course standing 
erect not more than twenty feet from the 
back window. Still there are, somewhere 
in the mountain behind or beyond, in- 
accessible to the eye, several large hotels ; 
at least we should judge so from the fact 
that whenever a boat arrives at the wharf 
five capacious hotel omnibuses make 
their appearance and carry off nearly all 
the passeniicrs. Then the diligences are 
all the time going to and coming from 
more distant points in the mountains, 
rendering the little town of Fluclen, con- 
sisting of four hotels, a church, and about 
fifty houses, a place of great importance 
on the lake. 

Suffice it to say that the mountains of 
Lake Lucerne are abrupt, perpendicular, 
grand. There are none of them less than 
three thousand feet in height, and most 
of them are six thousand, and, with their 
snowy summits reflected in the glassy 
water, they present a scene of nature 
both grand and sublime. 

We left Fluelen at eleven o'clock for 
Vitzuen, where the railroad station for 
ascending Mount Righi is located. The 
morning was bright and beautiful, but 
before we had been a half-hour afloat 
the inevitable rain-storm came sweeping 
down upon us from the mountains. 

TOWNS AND VILLAGES. 

In passing down the lake our boat 
stopped at a dozen or more towns, and 
at each discharged more than half of its 
passengers and took on board as many 
more. The boat was crowded when we 
started, and it continued equally full 
throughout the trip, returning back from 
the head of the lake with a full comple- 
ment. The passengers were principally 
English and Americans, with some Ger- 
mans and a few French. They were 
taking the circuit of the lake, passing 
from one town to another, and stopping 
at each for a few days to visit the points 
of interest in the vicinity. At every 
town on the lake there are several lines 
of diligences running daily through the 
mountains to other towns and notable 
places in the interior; and to make the 



round of the lake and visit them all 
would require a whole summer. 

At every town at which the steamer 
stopped the whole water front was occu- 
pied by hotels. Their balconies were 
crowded with guests, and a large number 
were at the wharves to meet the boat. 
We also passed upon the lake a half- 
dozen other steamers, each well filled with 
passengers, all bearing the mark of being 
strangers in a strange land. They had 
their alpenstocks in hand, glasses strapped 
over their shoulders, and a red-covered 
guide-book protruding from their pockets. 
Each boat-load seemed to be a counterpart 
of ours, and all were on the same mission 
of spying out the be-auties of the land. 

HONORS TO WILLIAM TELL. 

The borders of Lake Lucerne were the 
scene of the exploits of William Tell, the 
hero of Switzerland. A short distance 
from Brunnen, on the eastern bank of the 
lake, on a perpendicular rock which rises 
from the water, is an inscription in im- 
mense gilded letters : " Au chantre de 
Tell." Farther on we arrive at a small 
ledge, covered with verdure and chestnut- 
trees. It Avas here, according to tradition, 
that F'urst, Staufl"acher, and Melchthal, ac- 
companied by confederates from three of 
the cantons, met on the night of the 7th 
of November, 1307, for the purpose of 
taking a solemn oath to deliver their 
country from the tyranny of their Aus- 
trian oppressors. According to tradition, 
on the same spot where the three con- 
spirators took the oath three springs of 
water spouted up, over which a small hut 
has been erected. Six miles farther on 
we arrive at Tell's Chapel, the Mecca of 
all Switzerland. It is on a small plateau 
bathed by the waters of the lake. The 
end towards the water is without a wall, 
and the entire interior of the chapel and 
the altar are visible to the passengers on 
passing boats. It was erected in 1388, 
thirty -one years after the death of William 
Tell, to whose memory it was consecrated, 
we are told, in the presence of one hun- 
dred and fourteen persons who knew him 
personally. It is located in a wild and 
romantic glen, on the very place where, 
according to tradition. Tell leaped on 
shore from the boat in which Gessler was 
conveying him to prison. Every Sunday 
after Easter a procession of boats, richly 
decorated, proceeds slowly to this chapel, 
where, after massj is celebrated, a patriotic 
sermon is preached to the worshiping pil- 
grims. 

Farther on, the town of Fluelen was 



262 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



pointed out to us as the place where Tell 
shot the apple from his son's head. The 
spot where he stood is marked by a foun- 
tain and a statue of Tell, presented by the 
Shooting Society of Zurich. Close by, 
another fountain marks the spot where 
Gessler hung his hat to be worshiped, and 
where the son of Tell was bound with the 
apple on his head, preparatory to the shot 
which gave freedom to Switzerland. 



MOUNT RIGHI. 



Mount Righi, Switzerland, August 9, 1873. 

We closed our last letter at Vitzuen, 
at the foot of Mount Righi, and are now 
writing at the hotel within a few hundred 
feet of the summit, having spread out be- 
fore us one of the grandest views possi- 
ble for mortal to behold. 

THE ASCENT OF MOUNT RIGHI. 

At four o'clock we took our seats in an 
open car holding fifty-four persons, with 
a locomotive behind and the car in ad- 
vance. The ascent being six thousand 
feet, the track is laid at an angle of about 
thirty degrees, rising about one foot in 
three. In order that the locomotive should 
be on a level, the rear wheels are consid- 
erably larger than the fore wheels, and 
cogs in the centre of the track hold the 
train, a cog-wheel working in them. The 
motion is slow but steady, and the view 
of the surrounding lakes and mountains 
as we gradually rise higher and higher 
becomes more and more grand and impos- 
ing. The time required for the ascent to 
the first hotel, which is about four thou- 
sand five hundred feet, is just one hour. 
After rising about five hundred feet more 
we are at our present location ; but the 
Hotel Righi Culm is still five hundred 
feet higher, and it required thirty min- 
utes' climbing to reach our present stop- 
ping-place, over a rugged road slippery 
from the rain. 

CHANGE OF CLIMATE. 

The climate as we ascended became 
gradually colder, and shawls and over- 
coats were in requisition. Altlmugh 
there is no snow on Righi, it catches the 
breeze from the higher snow-clad moun- 
tains, and is as winterish as Baltimore in 
January. The cold is damp and pene- 
trating, and the heaviest of winter cloth- 
ing ci n alone insure comfort. After 
reaching oui' destination another inevita- 



ble rain-storm blew over the mountain, 
although a bright, warm sunshine had 
been brightening every object only five 
minutes previously. The prospect had 
been grand, but now the dense clouds 
that "lowered down upon our house" 
and all out-doors shut out the view in 
every direction, and the rain poured down 
in torrents. We had hoped to view the 
setting sun from the pinnacle of the 
mountain, but had to content ourselves 
with the hope of seeing his majesty rise 
in the morning. 

THE MOUNTAIN HOTELS. 

There are at least six hotels on the 
mountain, one of them as large as Con- 
gress Hall at Cape May. The first one 
we reached, the Kalbad Hotel, is probably 
the largest, as it is evidently the most 
fashionable, and can be attained without 
climbing. It has a front of six hundred 
feet, is five stories high, and has a balcony 
about forty feet in width along the whole 
front. As we passed it, a military band 
of about thirty performers was playing 
upon the balcony, whilst the guests were 
promenading, presenting a gay and l^ril- 
liant scene. The hotel can accommodate 
one thousand guests, and it was said to 
be full. The more elevated house at 
which we are stopping, the Hotel StafTel, 
is also well filled, as we could only obtain 
rooms in the fifth story. The third house, 
on the tip-top of the mountain, which is 
said to be the largest of all, the Righi 
Culm Hotel, is filled with gentlemen, 
there being very few ladies so high up. 
There are also two otlier hotels of im- 
mense proportions high up on the other 
slopes of the mountain within sight. It 
is customary for tourists to spend a day 
or two at each of these hotels, so as to 
view the scenery from the various points, 
.all of which have their peculiar beauties, 
and it is estimated that during the months 
of July and August there are never less 
than from fifteen hundred to two thou- 
sand persons at the different hotels on 
Righi. The number who ascend the moun- 
tain every day during the season, either 
by railroad, horseback, in chairs, or as 
pedestrians, is from five to six hundred, 
though the most of them return the same 
day. 

A NIGHT ON RIGHI. 

Well, we have spent a night on the 
top of Righi, and it has been one of the 
stormiest that we have encountered since 
our memoral)le night in the diligence on 
the Alps. We were comfortably quar- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



263 



tered, with abundance of blankets and 
eider-down quilts for a top-covering, but 
the whistling of the wind and the rattling 
of the rain against the windows and on 
the roof admonished us that there would 
be no sunrise visible fur llighi's guests in 
the morning. When daylight came, the 
temptation to lie still rather than go out 
into the cold and cloud-laden atmosphere 
was irresistible. The Alpine horn which 
summons visitors to witness the rising 
sun was silent, and a peep through the 
window gave proof that it was impossible 
for any one to see beyond their noses. 

At a later hour in the morning, however, 
the fog cleared away, and the sun shone 
out occasionally. The driving clouds 
disappeared, only to return again with 
sprinkling rain, but still we had ample 
opportunity to obtain a view of the 
magnificent landscape spread before us. 
To the north we have the Lake of Zug, the 
Black Forest filling up the horizon ; to 
the south, the high Bei-nese Alps and the 
Lakes of Alpnach and Sarnen ; to the west, 
the Lake of Sempach, and the winding 
Reuss, looking like a blue thread ; while 
around the base of Bighi, Lakes Lucerne 
and Zug seem to infold the mountain with 
their lovely waters of blue and green. 
When the mist would occasionally unfurl, 
all the glorious panorama of mountain, 
plain, and silver lake became revealed. 

The lakes over which we have just 
passed to reach Kighi were bordered by 
towering mountains, none of them prob- 
ably less than two thousand feet high, 
but in looking down on them they appear 
like meadows, level with the lakes and 
rivers which flow through them. Righi 
appears to be the only mountain any- 
where near you: everything else appears 
to the eye flat as a prairie. The section 
of country embraced in the view from 
Righi's elevated summit is said to extend 
over three hundred miles. The city of 
Zurich, some sixty miles distant, can be 
seen distinctly, and with a glass its promi- 
nent buildings i-ecognized. Lucei-ne, some 
twenty miles off, appears as if we could 
almost throw a stone into its streets, and, 
independent of the magnificence of sun- 
rise, the midday scene is very grand, 

THE SUNRISE SCENE. 

We did not see the sun set or the sun 
rise, sights which are seldom seen from 
Righi ; but, in order that your readers may 
know what the sight is, we give Baedeker's 
description : 

" A faint streak in the east, which pales 
by degrees the lightness of the stars, is 



the precursor of the birth of day. This 
insensibly changes to a band of gold in 
the extreme horizon; each lofty peak is 
in succession tinged with a roseate blush ; 
the shadows between the Righi and the 
horizon gradually melt away ; forests, 
lakes, villages, towns, reveal themselves; 
all is at first gray and cold, until at 
length the sun suddenly bursts from be- 
hind the mountains in all his majesty, 
flooding the superb landscape with light 
and warmth." 

Among the most picturesque points of 
the magnificent scene, which embraces 
three hundred miles, are the Lakes of Zug 
and Lucerne, which last branches off in 
so many directions as almost to bewilder 
the eye. They approach so clo^e to the 
foot of the Righi that it seems as if a 
stone might be thrown into them. Eleven 
other small lakes are also visible. 

For a quarter of an hour before and 
after sunrise the view is clearest ; at a 
later hour the mists rise and condense 
into clouds, frequently concealing a great 
.part of the landscape. The chamois- 
hunter, in Schiller's play of Tell, aptly 
observes, — 

"Through the parting clouds only 
The eailh can be seen, — 
Far down 'neath the vapor, 
The meadows of green." 

But the mists themselves have a pecu- 
liar charm, rising suddenly from the 
depth of the valleys, veiling the Culm, 
and struggling against the powerful rays 
of the sun. The different effects of light 
and shade, vai-ying so often in the course 
of the day, are a source of constant admi- 
ration to the spectator. At a very early 
hour the Bernese Alps are seen to the 
best advantage, and in the evening those 
to the east of the Bristonstrit. 

DESCENT OF RIGIII. 

We left the summit of Righi about ten 
o'clock in the morning, the rain pouring 
down, and a thick cloud of fog shutting 
out the view in all directions. Sending 
the ladies to the station in chairs, we slid 
down the mountain through the mud, and 
found at the station about a hundred 
passengers waiting around a hot stove for 
the cars. The train soon arrived on its 
upward trip, bringing as many ladies and 
gentlemen as there were waiting to em- 
bark. Travelers in Switzerland never 
seem to mind the rain. They are mostly 
Germans with their families, who come 
to the Alps to rough it, no one being ex- 
pected to make a display of dress. There 
are, , however, a good many Americans 



264 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and English now on the mountain, with 
some Russians and French. Every grade 
of society is here represented, and at times 
all the languages of Europe contrive to 
produce a very Babel of incongruous 
sounds. When we reached the station at 
the foot of the mountain, two more steam- 
boats were just landing their passengers, 
and there was a rush and struggle for 
tickets, many fearing that they would 
not be able to obtain seats for the ascent. 
The rain was still pouring down ; but 
nothing seems to deter these Alpine 
travelers. 

The descent was made in an hour and 
a quarter, requiring the same time as the 
ascent. At one part of the road there is 
a tunnel of about three hundred feet to 
pass through, and an iron trestle-work 
over a chasm, very much like the Cheat 
River Viaduct, except that if Ave should 
happen to get oiF the track the fall jvould 
be about one thousand feet. The differ- 
ence, however, would not be much in the 
result. Never having ascended a moun- 
tain before unless it was Ijecause there 
was no other way to get on the other side 
of it, we cannot say that our experience 
on Mount Righi was very satisfactory. 

Berne, Switzerland, August 10, 1872. 

THE BERNESE ALPS. 

As we approached Berne last evening 
we obtained our first view of the Bernese 
Alps, looming up in the far distance like 
great mountains of ice. They looked 
very much like the icebergs we encoun- 
tered off Newfoundland, the rays of the 
setting sun tinging their turreted pin- 
nacles. They are said to be nearly fifty 
miles distant; but their immense height, 
from twelve to thirteen thousand feet, 
more than double the height of Righi, 
makes them tower high above the lesser 
mountains in the vicinity. 

On reaching Berne we repaired to the 
terrace of Federal Hall, to witness the sun 
setting on the snow-clad peaks of the 
Bernese Oberland, which are visible from 
every open space around the city. Noth- 
ing can surpass in sublimity the aspect 
of these mountains at sunset in fine 
weather, especially when the western 
horizon is partly veiled with thin clouds. 
Long after the shadows of evening have 
fallen upon the valleys, and the lingering 
rays of the evening sun have faded from 
the snowy peaks themselves, the moun- 
tains begin to glow from their base up- 
wards, as if illuminated by a bright 
internal fire. This is one of the principal 
attractions of Bei-ne. 



BERNE AND ITS BEARS. 

Berne is a quaint old town, being 
rapidl}^ modernized by its active and 
energetic population, which now exceeds 
thirty thousand. The city is l)uilt upon 
a peninsula formed by the windings of 
the beautiful river Aar, which flows 
rapidly, furnishing an abundance of 
water-power for various mills, many of 
which are driven by the mere force of its 
current. Of all the cities of Switzerland, 
Berne most closely adheres to its tradi- 
tions and its ancient peculiarities. Fnun- 
tains are as numerous here as in Rome, 
and their adornments are quaint and 
very singular. The most striking is the 
Fountain of the Ogre, in the Corn Hall 
Square, which is surmounted by a gro- 
tesque traditional figure in the act of 
devouring a child, while a dozen others, 
chubby and jolly-looking urchins, doomed 
to the same fate, protrude from his pockets 
and girdle; beneath is a troop of armed 
bears. The bear is the heraldic emljlem 
of Berne, which signifies bruin in Ger- 
man, and is a constantly-recurring sub- 
ject. On a neighboring public building 
bruin appears equipped with shield, 
banner, and helmet. Two gigantic bears, 
tolerably executed in granite, keep guard 
over the pillars of the upper gate, others 
support a shield in the pediment of the 
Corn Hall, and a whole troupe of auto- 
matic bears go through a performance at 
the clock-tower every hour in the day. 
At three minutes before the close of the 
hour a wooden cock gives the signal by 
clapping his wings and crowing; one 
minute later a half-dozen automatic bears 
dance around a seated figure with crown 
and sceptre; the cock then repeats its 
signal, and when the hour strikes, the 
seated figure, an old man with a beard, 
turns an hour-glass and counts the hour 
by raising his sceptre and opening his 
mouth, while the bear on his right in- 
clines his head; a grotesque figure strikes 
the hour on a bell with a hammer, and 
the cock concludes the performance by 
flapping his wings and crowing for the 
third time. All strangers visit the clock- 
tower, and the people take great pride in 
it. 

We passed it twice at the striking- 
hour, and there was quite a throng of 
tourists waiting for the performance. 
But this peculiarity in regard to bears, 
although traditional and emblazoned in 
stone, is still religiously preserved by the 
people. The ancient Egyptians had not 
a greater veneration for the ibis, or the 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



265 



modern Venetians for the pio;eon, than 
the Bernese have for the bear. A bears' 
den, with four venerable animals and 
their cubs in state, is kept in the city at 
the public expense, according; to imme- 
morial usao;e, and great is the amusement 
they afford by their cumbrous ,sj;ambols. 
They are under the special protection of 
the law, which forbids the public from 
making them any offerings except bread 
or fruit, so great is the solicitude for their 
health. On the night of the 3d of 
March, 1861, an English officer fell into 
one of the puljlic dens, and was torn to 
pieces by*the male bear, after a long and 
desperate struggle. The den is a circular 
basin of stone, about one hundred and 
fifty feet in diameter, the walls about 
twenty feet high, on a level with the 
street, surrounded by an iron railing. It 
is divided in the centre by a stone wall, 
on either side of which are a pair of old 
bears, with their young, looking as if they 
might be one hundred years old. They 
each are provided with fountains for 
ablution and dens for shelter, and the 
floor of the inclosure is laid with smooth 
stone. In the centre of each partition is 
a tall cedar-tree for climbing. When the 
sun is shining, the bears climb on these 
poles, and afford great amusement for the 
children. In our stroll through the city 
we found bronze bears and stone bears 
in abundance, one on the top of a fountain 
being armed cap-d-pie, with his vizor 
down, sword buckled at his side, and 
carrying a banner aloft. Even the cake- 
shops have gingerbread bears. 

BERXESE WOMEN. 

At an early hour this morning the scav- 
engers were at work with scrapers and 
brooms all over the city, and carts were 
gathering up the dirt. The strangest part 
of the matter was that the whole business 
was being conducted by females, most of 
them old, but some of them decidedly 
young and pretty. They were not only 
handling the broom and wielding the 
scraper, but were actually drawing the 
hand-carts containing the garbage. The 
work was being done well, as a matter of 
course, and they all seemed to be merry 
and happy. We have no doubt that they 
have had their municipal contest over 
this matter, and the women have tri- 
umphed in claiming their exclusive right 
to the use of the broom. 

The markets seem to be in the entire 
control of the women, as we did not see 
a man in any of them engaged in vend- 
ing either meat or vegetables. A number 



of women were also to be seen in differ- 
ent sections of the city sawing firewood 
with horse and saw. One we observed 
was at work alongside of her mother, and 
was young and beautiful both in form 
and feature. She worked as if it was her 
daily occupation, and seemed contented 
and happy. There can be no doubt of the 
fiict that the women have their rights in 
Switzerland, — that is to say, the right 
to labor and share the burdens of active 
life. 

The countrywomen attending market 
wear two silver chains with silver rosettes ; 
one rosette is fiistened over each breast, 
and passing loosely under the arm connects 
with others fastened over the shoulder- 
blades. The poorer classes have the same 
ornaments made of steel, and the still 
wealthier have them of gold, with pre- 
cious stones in the rosettes. They all 
have the appearance of being strong- 
minded and energetic, and capable of 
taking care of themselves, notwithstand- 
ing the laborious occupations they pursue. 
The mother is looked upon as the head of 
the family. 

Interlaken, Switzerland, August 11, 1873. 

If we could shut out the mountainous 
surroundings of Interlaken, we might 
have imagined ourselves last night roving 
among the hotels at Saratoga, and looking 
in at the same class of stores that tempt- 
ingly array their goods around that fa- 
mous resort during the season. There 
was also the usual round of entertain- 
ments in progress in the parlors, and the 
same crowd of " dead-heads" outside, 
peeping in at the windows or listening to 
the performance. At the Victoria a travel- 
ing magician was bringing doves and vases 
of fish from under a shawl, and at the 
Scheurzanhoffen a band of strolling Swiss 
vocalists was giving a concert. A little 
farther on, a fine band was performing at 
the extensive Cafe Kursaal, where ices 
and cakes were being served to about a 
thousand visitors by a band of Swiss 
damsels arrayed in their picturesque cos- 
tume. 

The hotels at Interlaken are on a grand 
scale, and are more numerous than at 
any of our watering-places at home. The 
town of Interlaken is located in the valley 
of the river Aar, which connects Lake 
Thun with Lake Brienz, and hence boats 
by both lakes bring passengers from dif- 
ferent points of Switzerland. Everj'' na- 
tion and every tongue are here represented. 
Fully one-half of my fellow-passengers 
were Americans, and we are assured that 



266 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



there cannot be less than one thousand 
now here. They considerably outnumber 
the English, though, as usual, the Germans 
are more strongly represented than any 
other nationality. 

ATTRACTIONS OF INTERLAKEN. 

The Falls of Staubbach, which are the 
steepest and highest in Europe, disappoint 
the visitor at first A'iew. They are vari- 
ously estimated at from eight hundred 
to eleven hundred feet in height; but 
the quantity of water is so small that 
it does not impress one with any degree 
of sublimity. The water is precipitated 
from such an immense height that it is 
broken into spray, resembling dust, long 
before its arrival at the bottom: hence its 
name. Byron, in his " Manfred," compares 
its appearance to the tail of the white 
horse. When illuminated at night, the 
effect is very beautiful and attracts a 
large number of visitors. 

On the route to Lauterbrunnen the cas- 
tle of Unspunnen is passed, the supposed 
residence of Lord Byron's " Manfred." 
The Baron of Unspunnen, who was the 
last male descendant of his race, had an 
only daughter, lovely as — well, as they 
make them, — who had captivated the heart 
of a noble knight, a dependant and kins- 
man of the baron's greatest enemy, 
Berchtold of Zahringen. " The youth- 
ful lover, knowing his case was desperate, 
scaled the outer walls in the dead of night 
and carried off the beauteous maiden 
whilst her unsuspicious parent lay indulg- 
ing in the arms of Morpheus. For years 
the outraged father followed up his 
wrongs with fire and sword, and ruinous 
were the results between the conflicting 
parties. At last one morning the knight, 
his bride, and infant son, appeared alone 
and unarmed at the stronghold of the 
baron. Such confidence could have but 
one result: the father was overcome, he 
pardoned his son and daughter, took his 
grandchild to his heart, and immediately 
gave orders to kill the fatted calf and 
celebrate the day with feasting, rejoicing, 
and games." 

The Cave of St. Beatus is also located 
on the Lake of Thun. According to tra- 
dition, this fiibulous saint took a notion to 
take up his residence in this cave, which 
was at the time occupied by a dragon. 
He gave orders to the quadruped to ''stand 
not upon the order of his going, but to 
go at once," and he took up his bed and 
went. The principal steamer on the lake 
is named the St. Beatus, and the people 



generally believe in the legend. The 
cave is visited by pilgrims as well as by 
tourists. 

THE LAKE OF BRIENZ. 

The sun having put in an early appear- 
ance this morning, giving promise of the 
first bright and dry day that we have ex- 
perienced in Switzerland, we determined 
to make an excursion to the Falls of Gies- 
bach, which are regarded as one of the 
greatest attractions of Interlaken. The 
Aar River, which connects the Lakes of 
Brienz and Thun, flows directly under the 
windows of our hotel, having a foil of 
twenty-three feet between the two lakes, 
the Brienz emptying into the Thun. The 
Giesbaeh Mountain is on Lake Brienz, 
about six miles from Interlaken, and a 
fine steamer which communicates with 
the various towns on the lake was pre- 
paring to start when we reached her 
wharf on the river Aar. 

At the appointed hour we steamed out 
into the lake, which is regarded by some 
persons as the most beautiful of the lakes 
of Switzerland, although its whole length 
is but seven and a half miles. The width 
of Lake Brienz is about two and a quar- 
ter miles, whilst its depth varies from five 
hundred to two thousand feet. Its banks 
are surrounded by lofty wooded moun- 
tains and rocks, the outcroppings of which 
would indicate that they are either white 
marble or limestone. They tower up so 
perpendicularly from the lake that there 
is very little cultivation except close down 
to the water's edge, where a few small 
towns are located, which are the tei'mini 
of various passes through the mountains, 
and are mostly peopled by those connected 
with the diligences. There are, however, 
numerous hotels in the gorges, where 
tourists who spend the summer here stop 
for a day or two for change of scene and 
to explore the mountains. To the south- 
east in the background is the snow-clad 
mountain of Sussen, and to the left the 
Trifterhorn. The view of the magnifi- 
cent mountain scenery from the steamer 
is very imposing, there being a solemnity 
in moving along under the shadow of 
these towering rocks on the quiet waters 
of the lake. 

THE GIESBACH FALLS. 

In a half-houT we were directly under 
the shadow of Mount Giesbaeh, and 
could hear the roar of the great cataract, 
and see the water come tearing out 
through an opening in the rocks to join 
the waters of the lake. A wharf and 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



267 



landing have been erected by the hotel 
company, and a few minutes after pass- 
ing in front of the lower cascades of the 
Falls we were landed, with about two 
hundred other passengers who had come 
to spend the day at this romantic spot. 
The hotel and restaurant are in a gorge 
of the mountain, at an elevation of about 
four hundred feet, from which a grand 
view is had of the seven upper cascades. 
To reach this point required considera- 
ble climbing through zigzag paths cut 
in the rocks, and the whole cavalcade 
was soon in motion, men, women, and 
children, with their alpenstocks and 
guide-books. They consisted of Ger- 
mans, English, and Americans, the first- 
named nationality predominating in num- 
bers. The Swiss say that these Germans 
are the contractors in the late war, who 
have become suddenly rich, and that they 
are for the first time bringing their fam- 
ilies to Switzerland. They look upon them 
as a kind of shoddy aristocracy, similar 
to those who filled the fashionable sum- 
mer resorts of America, sparkling with 
diamonds, for a year or two after the 
close of our war. 

THE CASCADES OF GIESBACH. 

The restaurant was finally reached, 
and most of the visitors contented them- 
selves with sitting here to enjoy the view 
under the cool shade of the trees, and 
partake of refi'eshments. The scene 
which here opens to the view is very grand. 
Seven cascades, each from one hundred 
and fifty to two hundred feet fall, come 
pouring down the mountain directly to- 
■wai'ds you, the volume of water spread- 
ing over a surface of about twenty feet, 
accompanied by a roar almost as loud 
but not so ponderous as that of Niagara. 
This is said to be the finest cataract, or 
rather cascade, in Europe; and all the ad- 
juncts of scenery harmonize so well that 
the attractions are greatly enhanced. The 
mountain, for a mile on each side of the 
falls, although very precipitous, is densely 
covered with tall cedar-trees, only hei-e 
and there the white rock cropping out 
among the trees and looking like a marble 
wall streaked with weather-stains. The 
opening in this mass of dense foliage, 
through which the cataracts come pour- 
ing from ledge to ledge, leaping over roclcy 
chasms and tumbling over precipice after 
precipice, presents one of the most pictu- 
resque scenes that it has been our good 
fortune to view ; and no one who visits 
Switzerland ought to fail to take the trip 
to the Giesbach, 



ASCENT OF THE GIESBACH. 

The Giesbach was inaccessible until 
1848, when a schoolmaster named Keholi 
constructed a path, for the use of which 
he exacted a small toll from visitors. The 
steamboat company in 1854 bought his 
right and erected a fine hotel here, since 
which it has become one of the most de- 
lightful and popular resorts in Switzer- 
land. The pathway up to the cascades 
has been improved, and, having some 
four hours to remain for the next boat, 
we determined to ascend and explore the 
mountain-torrent. Not more than a dozen 
visitors, among whom were several ladies, 
followed our example, and we were soon 
moving along under the shade of the 
trees, in our zigzag course up the sides 
of the mountain. The path winds along 
the edge of the cascades, and at the foot 
of each cascade a bridge is erected, on 
which visitors stop to view the rushing 
of the water as it comes pouring over the 
rocky ledge more than a hundred feet 
above, throwing off a spray that renders 
an umbrella necessary for the preserva- 
tion of a dry coat. The path skirts both 
sides of the stream as far as the second 
bridge, and then to the upper fall there is 
a path on the right bank only. There is 
no bridge over the second fall, but the 
visitors can pass behind it by means of 
a grotto which connects the banks of 
the stream. 

As we reached the upper falls, nearly 
one thousand feet above the plateau, at 
the restaurant, the mid-day sun was shin- 
ing down over the cataracts, the spray 
from which formed a succession of rain- 
bows of the richest imaginable tints. 
The view from this elevated point of the 
roaring water and the surrounding land- 
scape is very picturesque and imposing, 
the richness of the foliage and the emerald 
verdui'e of the mountain-sides investing 
the scene with a peculiar charm. On 
reaching the summit of the upper falls, 
the cataract appears as if issuing from a 
gloomy ravine in the rock, struggling to 
force its way through a narrow crevice, 
reminding one of the roaring waters of 
the Khine when driven through the Via 
Mala. It comes out of the mountain- 
side about two hundred feet below its 
summit, and is supposed to have its ori- 
gin from the melting of the snow on the 
great mountains in its rear, some of 
which reach the elevation of twelve thou- 
sand to thirteen thousand feet. 

The ascent to the upper cataract occu- 
pied nearly one hour, and, as we slowly 



268 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



ascended, a full opportunity was afforded 
of a more critical examination of the 
several cataracts as seen from the path- 
way on the right side of the ascent. The 
rocks immediately under the several falls 
have been worn out by the water into 
hollow basins from ten to twenty feet in 
depth. Into these pools the torrent de- 
scends, and comes bubbling and boiling 
up to flow on a few feet before taking 
another leap of a hundred or more feet 
off the precipitous ledges of the pi-otrud- 
ing rocks. The seven leaps bring it 
down to the restaurant plateau, and from 
this point, an elevation of about four hun- 
dred feet, it struggles and roars among 
the rocks, and finally takes a leap into 
the calm waters of the lake. 

INTERLAKEN ATTRACTIONS. 

Located as Interlaken is on a tract of 
land only a few miles in length, hemmed 
in by immense mountains on the north 
and south, and by the heads of Lakes 
Brienz and Thun on the east and west, 
its principal attraction appears to be 
that it is a good place with abundance 
of accommodations for the tourist to rest 
after hard travel through the mountains. 
It formerly had a great reputation for 
cheapness, which brought immense col- 
onies of English here to spend the 
summer; but the construction of large 
and fashionable hotels has made it one of 
the most expensive. The town consists 
principally of one main street, on which 
the hotels are located, about a mile in 
length, which presents about as gay a 
scene in the evenings as it is possible 
to conceive. The Jungfrau Mountain, 
capped with eternal snow, looms up in 
front of the hotels, being seen between 
the ridges of the nearer mountains, and 
seeming to be only a few miles distant, 
but in reality being about twenty miles 
to the north of us. 

The principal hotels, numbering about 
twenty, are very perfect in all their ap- 
pointments, each being surrounded by 
gardens laden with flowers, brilliant with 
their variegated bloom, while all have 
fountains and pools of water in front. 
Their dining-rooms, parlors, and cham- 
bers are all elegantly fitted up, and the 
bedding is far superior to that of the hotels 
of our summer resorts. Balconies, win- 
dow-shades, and lace curtains render most 
of the rooms comfortal)le for a prolonged 
residence, and the tallies are well fur- 
nished with the best of provisions. 

The waiters at the hotels are all smart 
Swiss girls arrayed in the peculiar and 



picturesque costume of the villagers, and 
they perform their duties very acceptably. 

blue-beard's castle. 
The Castle of Unspunnen, the ruins of 
which are near Interlaken, is claimed by 
tradition to have been the home of the 
famous Blue-beard of the story-books. 
Every nook and corner of Switzerland 
has its traditions, and they are all im- 
plicitly believed by the peasantry. They 
will tell you anecdotes of Blue-beard and 
of the wives he buried alive to give 
place to more favored ones, and of the 
huge dog which guarded the treasures 
hidden in the ruins. The dungeon is 
still seen in which authentic history as- 
serts that fifty brave warriors from Hasli, 
after their defeat before Unspunnen, spent 
four years of misery and suffering from 
1330 to 1334. The old count was, accord- 
ing to all accounts, a terrible old fellow. 

SUNDAY at interlaken. 

Sunday at Interlaken is religiously ob- 
served in the morning by both the inhab- 
itants and strangers. The stores were 
mostly closed, and everything quiet around 
the liotels. A number of country-people 
Avere strolling through the village, and 
the churches were all well attended. 
There are a Catholic church, a Scotch 
Presbyterian church, and an English 
Episcopal church, all located in one 
building, an old convent, which was dis- 
banded many years since. The doors of 
the Catholic and Episcopal churches are 
alongside of each other, each designated 
by a tin sign, whilst the Scotch church is 
in another wing of the building. They 
all seem to get along smoothly together, 
though — to avoid difficulty, we suppose — , 
one has service at nine in the morning, 
another at ten, and the third at eleven 
o'clock. The English church was largely 
attended, many being unable to gain ad- 
mittance. In the afternoon the scene 
was different, all the stores being open, 
and people making purchases. The Kur- 
saal, with its restaurant, billiard-halls, 
and band of music, was in full blast, and 
Sunday seemed to be done with after two 
o'clock in the afternoon. 

Interlaken, Switzerland, August 1.3, 1873. 
We have spent three days very pleas- 
antly at this great international summer 
resort, where are gathered the pleasure- 
seekers of every country of Europe, and 
not a few of their American cousins. 
The attractions of Interlaken are various. 
There are also crowds of consumptives 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



269 



here, and those afflicted with throat- and 
chest-diseases, to avail themselves of the 
climate, and the once famous '" whey 
cure." The main portion of the visitijrs 
are, however, those who have a mania for 
climbing mountains, who start off every 
morning on some new route, with alpen- 
stock in hand, to ascend the mountain- 
tracks. Artists and sketchers, male and 
female, are also here in al)un<lance, and 
in every direction we meet them with 
portfolio and pencil in hand. There is 
little or no dressing, and none of the 
frivolities of fashionable life that unfor- 
tunately pervade our summer resorts. 

The guide-books give a list of fifty 
different mountain and lake excursions, 
each of which would require not less than 
a day to accomplish. There are also 
ruins of old castles to visit, towers perched 
upon rocks, and altandoned monasteries. 
The guide-books detail enough of these 
excursions, most of which have to be 
made on foot, to occupy a whole summer. 
The mountain cascades and waterfalls 
are also a great attraction to tourists, 
many of them leaping off precipices 
one thousand feet high, and becoming, 
before they reach the ground, scattered 
in minute particles of spray, which the 
breeze blows into fantastic and ever- 
varying forms, whilst the rays of the sun 
falling upon them create a succession of 
beautiful rainbows. 

THE JUNGFRAU. 

The Jungfrau Mountain, covered with 
an eternal shroud of snow, is visiljle from 
nearly all parts of Interlaken in all its 
majesty. The two peaks called the Sll- 
berhorn and the Schneehorn tower above 
the immense fields of snow. The propor- 
tions are so gigantic that the traveler is 
bewildered in his vain attempts to com- 
pute them ; distance is annihilated by 
their vastness. The summits and higher 
peaks — twelve thousand two hundred and 
eighty-seven feet above the sea — are cov- 
ered with snow of dazzling whiteness, 
whilst the lower and less precipitous 
slopes also present a boundless expanse 
of snow and glaciers. The loftiest sum- 
mit, which is farther south, is not visible 
from Interlaken. The view when the 
setting sun gilds the lofty peaks is most 
brilliant. The base of the mountain is 
precipitous, and the avalanches from the 
accumulation of snow and ice on the 
upper parts of the mountain come down 
with amazing velocity. The influence 
of the summer's sun detaches immense 
masses, the fragments as they fall resem- 



bling rushing cataracts, often accompanied 
by a noise like thunder. The awful still- 
ness which generally pervades these deso- 
late regions is interrupted by the echoing 
thunders of the falling glaciers. These 
apparently insignificant white cascades, 
when viewed from a distance, often con- 
tain hundreds of tons of ice, capable of 
sweeping away forests and whole villages, 
should any unfortunately be encountered 
in their course. Happily, however, they 
fiiU in uninhabited districts, and are sel- 
dom fatal in their effects. What is called 
the drift avalanche only takes place in 
winter, after an unusually heavy fall of 
snow, large fields of which become de- 
tached by the wind from heights where 
they have accumulated. These increase 
in their pi'ogress to an enormous extent, 
and are precipitated with overwhelming 
force into the valleys beneath. The cur- 
rent of air which accompanies these snow- 
torrents, as they may aptly be called, is 
said to be capable of uprooting forest- 
trees. The Jungfrau has been frequently 
ascended, and in 1863 by a lady, but 
never without risk of life. The mania 
among people to ascend these snow- 
mountains is incomprehensible : they 
might reach a greater height in a balloon 
with not one-half the risk. 

A FLOWER-GARDEX. 

Switzerland is a perfect flower-garden. 
Notwithstanding its cold clinmte and 
rather sterile soil, all manner of vegeta- 
tion is as profuse as in the tropical re- 
gions. All of our garden-flowers thrive 
in the open air, and bloom with a profu- 
sion that cannot be equaled in JMaryland. 
They are mostly in pots •, though we have 
seen many fine beds of all varieties. 
Every hotel and almost every house in 
Interlaken is surrounded and almost im- 
bedded in flowers. The bloom is more 
profuse, and the plants attain a more 
vigorous growth, and seem to require 
little or no attention. The climate is al- 
ways moist, which may be the cause of 
their viiTorous itrowth. 



THE CITY OF GENEVA. 

Geneva, August 15, 1873. 
We left Interlaken on Tuesday morn- 
ing on a steamer on the Lake of Thun, 
and, as usual, the rain commenced to fall 
before we had been ten minutes afloat. 
In an hour and a half we were at the 
town of Thun, at the head of the lake, 



270 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and were carried from thence by rail in an 
hour back to the ancient city of Berne, 
in which we spent a day en route to In- 
terlaken. Having an hour to spare, we 
took a turn through the town, looked 
again at its live bears, its bronze bears, 
its stone bears, wooden bears, and ginger- 
bread bears, and soon after took the train 
for Lausanne, near the head of Lake 
Geneva. 

THE CITY OF LAUSANNE. 

We spent the evening and night at 
Lausanne at the Gibbon House, which 
was the site of the residence of tlie great 
historian Gibbon. In the garden are the 
trees which he planted, and under the 
shade of which he wrote his " History of 
the Decline and Fall of the Roman Em- 
pire." The view of the lake from the sum- 
mer-house at the back of the hotel is grand 
and romantic. Here oft sat Voltaire, as 
well as Gibbon, to watch " clear, placid 
Leman." Lausanne is now, as in the 
days of Gibbon, distinguished for its 
good society, and is considered a most 
desirable place of residence. It has a 
population of about twenty -five thousand, 
and, like all the cities of Switzerland, 
shows evidence of progress and pros- 
perity. The private residences around 
the city and in the vicinity of the lake 
are very elegant, and most of them ai-e 
surrounded by gardens brilliant with 
foliage and flowers. They are said to be 
the private residences and chateaux of 
some of the wealthiest citizens of Europe, 
who spend their summers here to enjoy 
the healthy and balmy atmosphere. It 
was this that Cooper, the great American 
novelist, declared to be '' the noblest of all 
earthly regions." Kemble, the great tra- 
gedian, died at his villa about two miles 
from Lausanne, and his tomb is in the 
cemetery of Pierre de Plain. 

LAKE OF GENEVA. 

We left Lausanne on Wednesday morn- 
ing for Geneva, on one of the fine steam- 
ers which daily traverse the lake. This 
is the most extensive of all the Swiss 
lakes, its breadth being at some points 
from seven to ten miles, and it is the only 
lake of Switzerland on which sailing-ves- 
sels are seen. All the others are so 
hedged in by mountains and wind around 
so continually through mountain-gorges, 
causing a change of wind almost every 
mile, that sails are perfectly useless. Its 
banks are lined Avith towns and cities of 
considerable size, and, there being very 
few steep mountains, it is a vast region 



for the cultivation of the grape. The 
climate is a great deal warmer than in 
any other portion of Switzerland, not- 
withstanding its close proximity to INIont 
Blanc and many of the highest snow-clad 
mountains. 

The weather was bright and clear, and 
our three hours' run on this beautiful 
lake, before reaching Geneva, was lioth 
pleasant to the eye and enjoyable. For 
the first time in Europe we were sailing 
on a lake without an accompanying storm. 
The Lake of Geneva is in reality a por- 
tion of the river Pihone, the mouth of 
which can lie seen from the railroad just 
before reaching Lausanne. Flowing into 
such a vast lake, it is navigable to Geneva, 
and is one of the finest rivers in Europe. 

CITY OF GENEVA. 

When seen from the lake, Geneva pre- 
sents an attractive appearance, the river 
Rhone passing from the lake directly 
through the city. It is about five hun- 
dred feet wide, and rushes with such force 
as to drive the wheel of the water-works, 
located near one of the bridges, which 
supplies the fountains of the city with 
water. It is so clear that the pebbles can 
be seen at its bottom, whilst the fish are 
visible as they fly along in the rapid cur- 
rent. 

It would be difiicult to find a more 
beautiful night-scene than the quay and 
the bridges of Geneva present, with the 
thousands of lamps that are reflected 
from the blue waters of the Rhone on 
both sides of the river. Here all the 
hotels are located, and here the citizens 
spend their evenings in pi-omenading and 
loitering in the cafes to listen to the sing- 
ing of strolling vocalists. The stores on 
Rue du Rhone and Rue Centrale, as well 
as on the quay, on both sides of the river, 
make a tempting display of their goods. 
The principal productions of Geneva seem 
to be watches and musical boxes, the 
number of watches manufactured in a 
year being over one hundred thousand, 
and of musical boxes almost as many. 
The population is about fifty thousand. 

MONT BLANC. 

Mont Blanc, the monarch of European 
mountains, can be distinctly seen from 
the quay on the right bank of the river, 
where seats are arranged for those who 
desire to sit and watch the rays of the 
setting sun silver its snowy peaks. On a 
clear evening the view is grand beyond 
description, and many travelers content 
themselves with this glimpse rather than 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



271 



undergo the exposure and fatigue of 
traveling in those icy regions. The gla- 
cier domain of Switzerland extends from 
Mont Blanc to the Oertler, the entire area 
thus occupied being computed at nine 
hundred square miles. The waters from 
the melting of the snow of these regions 
form the lakes of Switzerland and the 
two greatest rivers of Europe, the Rhine 
and the Rhone. 

To make the ascent of Mont Blanc re- 
quires two days from Chamouni, and the 
expense is nearly one hundred and fifty 
dollars. The ascent is never undertaken 
with less than six guides, each of whom 
charges one hundred francs for his ser- 
vices ; and little enough for these poor fel- 
lows who peril their lives on account of 
the extra pay to gratify a most unworthy 
curiosity. With Horace Benoit de Saus- 
sure, who was the first scientific man 
who made the ascent, it was a different 
matter: he penetrated all its mysteries, 
and reported the same to the world. 
Three ladies only have as yet accom- 
plished the feat: Mile. Paradis, Mile. 
d'Angeville, and Mrs. Hamilton, an Eng- 
lish lady. The two latter ladies, when at 
the summit, had themselves lifted over the 
shoulders of the guides, that they might 
be able to say they had risen to a greater 
height than any of their predecessors. 
De Saussure, who, after twenty -seven 
years of longing and fruitless endeavor, 
reached the summit in August, 1837, says 
the desire to make the ascent had become 
with him a kind of disease. He says, 
" The arrival on the summit did not give 
me immediately all the pleasure which 
might have been expected, because the 
length of the struggle, and the sense of 
the trouble which it cost me to reach it, 
seemed as it were to have irritated me, 
and it was with a kind of wrath 1 tram- 
pled the snow upon its highest point. 
Besides. I feared that I might not be 
able to make the observations which 1 
desired, so greatly was 1 troubled by the 
rarity of the atmosphere and the diffi- 
culty 1 felt in breathing and in working 
at this height. We all sufi"ered from 
fever. I scarcely believed my own eyes ; 
I seemed to myself to be dreaming when 
I saw beneath my feet the terrific ma- 
jestic peaks, the acute summits of Midi, 
Argentifere, and Le Geant, the very base 
of which it had been to me so difficult 
and hazardous to climb. I understood 
their connection and their form, and at 
one single glance was able to clear up 
the uncertainty which years of labor 
alone could not have done. 



" When any adventurous traveler un- 
dertakes the ascent of Mont Blanc, nu- 
merous spectators take up their station on 
the sides of the Breven, from which the 
progress of the party, as soon as it has 
emerged upon the snow-line, may be 
traced the whole way to the summit. 
Great is the excitement in Chamouni 
when they are seen returning in the even- 
ing across the plain towards the inn. 
Here they come, — the men who have been 
up Mont Blanc ! Surely earth seems like 
velvet ; they walk not like common men ; 
honor and glory await them ; twelve of 
them get five-and-twenty shillings each, 
and the thirteenth has his name painted 
on a board by the side of De Saussui-e. 
He has periled his life a score of times 
within the last forty-eight hours, but it 
is over now. He has been at the top 
of Europe, has stood like a fly on the 
cold tip of the earth's nose, and is per- 
fectly justified in writing a book. They 
almost all do. That is one of the reasons 
why they go up." 

The skin of most people peels off after 
the ascent, their eyes become weak, and 
they suffer more or less in health. How 
any person can desire to go through the 
fatigue of making the ascent, when they 
can risk their life in a balloon for half the 
expense, we cannot understand. 

BURDENS FOR THE BACK. 

Every people have their peculiar way 
of doing things, different from those of 
their neighbors. In Jamaica the practice 
is to carry everything, light or heavy, on 
the top of the head, where it is sure to be 
balanced, even if it should be an empty 
bottle. In Venice all manner of burdens 
are balanced at the ends of poles and car- 
ried over the shoulder. In Switzerland 
the practice is to carry everything, even 
a bucket of water, on the back. Buckets, 
tubs, and contrivances of all imaginable 
kinds are made to fit the human back, 
with straps to go over the shoulders. If 
a woman should happen to carry one of 
her children, a sight not often seen, she 
is sure to make it straddle her back, with 
its arms around her neck. Even the 
milkmen carry their churns on their 
backs, and the school-boys their books in 
knapsacks. At Geneva this morning we 
saw a mother in market with her three 
sons, with a basket strapped on the back 
of each. In one she deposited the fruit, 
in another the vegetables, and in the third 
the meat. This was making good use of 
the boys, who seemed accustomed to the 
vocation. 



272 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



Geneva, August 17, 1873. 

ROAMING AMERICANS. 

The hotels of the city are all overrun 
with Americans to-day, they havini^ come 
in like an avalanche from all quarters. 
The streets, the stores, and the watch and 
music-box factories are all thronged -with 
Americans, representing two-thirds of the 
States of the Union. They are herewith 
their wives, their daughters, and their 
sons, and Geneva is profiting greatly by 
their expenditures. The sons are getting 
watches and chains, and the daughters 
jewelry, diamonds, and music-boxes. 
Everywhere on the street parties are 
moving along with that free and careless 
manner peculiar to Americans, and during 
a three-hours stroll in the business sec- 
tion of the city, English appeared to be 
the only language spoken. There are 
also a goodly number of English here, 
but the Americans far outnumber them. 
The main retail business of the city comes 
from the Americans and English, and 
there are but few stores in which the lan- 
guage is not spoken fluently. 

MUSIC-BOXES. 

The ex'ent to which this business is 
carried on in Geneva is a matter of sur- 
prise to Americans, and the magnificence 
of some of the instruments turned out 
exceeds anything that most persons have 
any idea of. We were shown an instru- 
ment this morning which played thirty- 
six tunes, with flute, bell, drum, and Cas- 
tanet accompaniments. The cost of it 
complete was seven thousand francs, or 
about fourteen hundred dollars, the pur- 
chaser to have the privilege of naming 
twelve airs to be arranged on two of the 
cylinders that Avere blank. These instru- 
ments range in price from five francs to 
seven thousand. There are musical chairs, 
which play when you sit doAvn upon 
them, musical decanters, which strike up 
a meiry air, such as " The Flowing 
Bowl," when you pour anything out of 
them, musical snuff-boxes, musical flower- 
pots, and musical toys of all descriptions. 
The fourteen-hundred-doUar instrument 
had volume of sound sufficient for a church, 
and would occupy as much space in a 
parlor as an ordinary piano, though it 
might be taken for an old-style side- 
board. 

HOTEL MISTAKES. 

Most of the hotels have the American 
and English flags suspended from their 
balconies, the object being to attract the 
tourists who swarm through Switzerland 



during the summer. There are plenty 
of Germans here, but most of them go to 
the boarding-houses, and they are not 
considered as profitable or desirable 
guests as the English and Americans. 
They are apt to take their meals at the 
cafes rather than at the hotels, and to 
take good care that their bills have no 
mistakes in them. A bill for two or three 
days' board consists of at least twenty 
items, and it is never given to you until 
the moment that you are about departing 
to catch the train. Ten chances to one 
neither the American nor the Englishman 
can read anything but the figures and the 
sum total. lie glances hastily over it, 
pulls out his purse and pays it, not liking 
to acknowledge his ignorance. We have 
had occasion to encounter a number of 
bills, duly settled and receipted, in all of 
which there proved to be a variety of 
charges that, in the language of a New 
Yorker, " hadn't oughter be there." The 
German detects these mistakes at a 
glance and corrects them. When rooms 
are scarce they reserve them for Ameri- 
can or English travelers, and are always 
full to German or Swiss applicants. 

THE PETS OF THE PEOPLE. 

The city authorities have placed in the 
river, near the bridges, a large numljer 
of white swans, having houses for them 
on Voltaire's Island, which is connected 
by a short suspension-bridge with the 
Bridge des Alpes. These Geneva swans 
are honored by the people, who throw 
them bread and crackers as they swim 
about the bridge, and take delight in 
watching their gaml>ols in the water. 
The rapid current will sometimes sweep 
them some distance down the stream, when 
they will rise and fly, or rather skim along 
on the surface, back to the bridge. They 
have little platforms for their accommoda- 
tion anchored in the stream, and they are 
undoubtedly quite an ornament to the city, 
whilst they are the pets of the people. 

GASTRONOMY IN EUROPE. 

The Americans in Europe, or at least 
most of those with whom we have con- 
versed, complain constantly of their in- 
ability to get good and palatable food, 
even at the best of the European hotels. 
They find, after struggling to get their 
food properly cooked, that they are com- 
pelled to resign themselves to the tahle- 
cVhote, and to eat whatever is given to 
them, whether they like it or not, or know 
what it is that they are called upon to 
digest. If anything comes along that 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



273 



they recognize, such as a chicken, they 
find it cut up in infinitesimally small 
particles, about fifty to a chicken, of 
which they are expected to take but one. 
In fear of depriving their neighbor, they 
take the first piece that their fork lights 
upon, and generally find themselves in- 
capable of scraping a thimbleful of meat 
from their share of the pullet. Next 
comes some green spinach, which they 
are expected to eat by itself, and be 
thankful. This is followed by some veal, 
which appears to have d<me duty in soup 
before it was roasted, flavored with on- 
ions. A dish of potatoes comes along, 
which they think they recognize as 
Christian food, but they find that these 
have been cut up and fried with onions. 
As everybody does not like onions, would 
it not be well for all cooks to cook them 
separately, and allow those who like them 
to make the mixture ? An artichoke comes 
next, of which all must take a few leaves 
and suck them. But previous to all this 
there are about three spoonfuls of very 
thin soup, and then some fish, generally 
about the size of a minnow, cut in two, 
as an intimation to the guest that a half 
of a fish is his share. Then comes some 
salad, with another chicken, cut up so as 
to give an atom to each of the forty 
guests to make chicken-salad out of 
This is succeeded by a spoonful of pudding, 
a thimbleful of ice-cream, some grapes, 
and a cake about the size of an American 
half-dollar, so far as our memory of that 
coin serves. After every mouthful plate 
and knife and fork are changed. Those 
who get through with this very unsatis- 
factory dinner in an hour and twenty 
minutes, as we did to-dajs may think 
themselves very fortunate. " Life is too 
short" for such waste of time. 

The American who leaves home during 
summer must expect to be deprived of 
all the blessings that summer brings to 
him at home. He may pick up a hard 
peach or flavorless pear occasionally, and 
pay seven francs for five peaches, as we 
did at Marseilles ; or if he can stand the 
climate and fleas of Italy, he may find 
some palatable fruit there ; but he must 
forego all hopes of peaches and cream, 
watermelons, cantaloupes, and even hot- 
corn must be to him as a thing of the 
past. He gets no good bread after he 
passes the capes ; and as to griddle-cakes 
of any kind, we very much doubt if they 
know what a griddle is in Europe. At 
Liverpool we called for the famous Eng- 
lish muffins, and were furnished with 
cold and clammy half-cooked dough. 
18 



France used to be listinguished for the 
sweetness of its bread, but we have found 
it as hard and tasteless as it is possible 
to make bread. If an American has the 
dyspepsia, and desires to be where his 
food will not tempt him to overload his 
stomach, Europe is the place for him ; 
but if he thinks that good living is es- 
sential to enjoyment, he had better stay 
at home. 



THE CITY OF LONDON. 

London, September 28, 1S73. 

We left Paris on Monday for Havre, 
the principal seaport of France on the 
Atlantic, which we found greatly im- 
proved since our visit some fourteen yeai's 
ago. The English language is almost as 
much spoken at Havre as the French, and 
the line ,of steamers connecting with 
Southampton is composed of English ves- 
sels, officered by Englishmen. When we 
reached the wharf, the same burly English- 
man who accosted us years ago urged us 
again to enter his hotel and take " a good 
old-fashioned English dinner." After 
dinner, which was not very " good," we 
strolled over the city, the streets being 
thronged with promenaders and brilliant 
with gas-lights, as is the case in all French 
cities. The main streets were lined with 
very elegant stpres, and the market-house 
we found well supplied with grapes and 
pears, the latter being the best we had 
tasted in Europe. 

CROSSING THE CHANNEL. 

The Channel between Havre and South- 
ampton is very wide, requirina; nine hours 
to cross, whilst from Calais the trip is 
made in less than two hours. If people 
get sick between Dover and Calais, it may 
naturally be supposed that they get very 
sick between Havre and Southampton, a 
fact which we can bear ample testimony 
to. Having secured our sleeping-places 
on the steamer, which were mere open 
bunks erected in the cabins, Ave concluded 
it would be better to retire early, before 
the passengers by the midnight train ar- 
rived, at which hour the steamer was to 
take her departure. We were aroused 
about half-past eleven o'clock by a noisy 
crowd of men and women, some quarrel- 
ing with the officers of the boat because 
all the sleeping-places were disposed of, 
whilst others were drinking beer and 
voraciously eating cold meat and bread, 
supplied to them by the steward. In a 



274 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



few moments the boat left the wharf, 
when the scolding and grumbling at once 
changed to groaning and moaning, and 
urgent calls for basins, which were handed 
around in profusion, many taking them 
into their bunks and hugging them to 
their bosoms as if they were life-pre- 
servers against the perils of the ocean. 
In all our experience we never witnessed 
a more rapid transformation. If these 
people had all taken emetics the effect 
could not have been more simultaneous. 
As they had just loaded their stomachs 
with porter and beer, we wull leave the 
reader to imagine the details of the scene 
and the vile effluvia that pervaded the 
closely-packed cabin. The motion of the 
vessel was really very slight, and it was 
difficult to imagine what there was to 
affect any one's stomach ; but as everybody 
expects to be sick in " crossing the Chan- 
nel," they seem to make haste to meet 
their destiny. At early dawn yfQ gladly 
escaped to the deck from the sickly hole 
in which we had spent the night. Here 
there was fresh air, but the surroundings 
were scarcely more inviting. Ail the 
benches on deck were occupied by men 
and women, with the inevitable basin, 
and it was difficult to walk about, on ac- 
count of the slippery condition in which 
the sufferers had managed to convert it 
during the night. 

There is not a river-steamer out of the 
port of Baltimore having, such poor ac- 
commodations as these Channel steamers, 
and none that would not be shunned as 
nuisances if kept half so vile and filthy. 
There is a project for tunneling the Chan- 
* nel, and the sooner it is accomplished the 
better, as the present means of crossing 
is disgraceful to both England and France. 
If people have to be sick, we rather think 
it could be accomplished more satisfac- 
torily to themselves, as well as to their 
fellow-travelers, in a private state-room, 
than in an open cabin. 

AN AGREEABLE SENSATION. 

After five months' sojourn among peo- 
ple speaking foreign languages, we ac- 
knowledge having experienced adecidedly 
pleasurable sensation on Tuesday morn- 
ing wdien we reached the wharf at South- 
ampton, and were greeted in broad Eng- 
lish by a Jehu, with the salutation, 
" Will yer 'onor 'ave a coach, sir?" and 
to hear our English traveling companions 
giving directions for the careful handling 
of their " 'at-boxes." Every Englishman 
travels with a ponderous sole-leather hat- 
box, which seems to be the object of his 



most sedulous care and consideration. 
You may smash his trunk or tread upon 
his favorite corn with impunity, provided 
you handle his " 'at-box" carefully. 
Then to hear the porters lauding their 
hotels in an understandable language, 
and the newsboys crying, " Times! News! 
Chronicle! Standard !^' — "Great Finan- 
cial Bust-up in America !" " Latest from 
the Thames Mystery!" etc., was quite 
refreshing. We made haste to secure a 
supply of London papers, and enjoyed 
the felicity of reading fresh news again 
on the morning of its publication. In . 
short, we were gratified to get back to Old 
England, which, notwithstanding all its 
drawbacks, is the only land in Europe, 
except Switzerland, where there is any 
real semblance of " liberty, fraternity, 
and equality." 

" UP TO LUNNEN TOWN." 

A run of two hours and a half through 
the green fields of Merry England brought 
us to Waterloo Bridge, on the Surrey side 
of the Thames, in the heart of London. 
The last few miles of the road is on an 
arched viaduct, passing over the tops of 
most of the houses, and broad enough for 
four tracks. Some of the roads enter 
the city by tunnels, but most of them are 
on these elevated tracks, which are un- 
doubtedly better than tunnels, where 
room can be had for their construction. 
It was an unusually bright and sunny 
day for London, but the inevitable cloud 
of smoke and haze had settled down 
over the city, causing a gloomy sensation, 
especially to one coming direct from 
bright and sunny Paris. 

London is undoubtedly a grand old 
city, but all who desire to enjoy it should 
do so before going to the Continent. 
After returning hither from the Conti- 
nent, its atmosphere and aspect are op- 
pressive, especially in the heart of the 
city. The suburbs and surroundings are 
picturesque and beautiful, but its vast 
business centre appears gloomy and som- 
bre in the extreme. The brightest and 
most ornamental as well as most cleanly 
and attractive portion of Paris is its 
business centre, but the very contrary is 
the case in London. The greater portion 
of the buildings are nearly coal black, or 
streaked and stained, whilst the mud and 
dirt in the streets partakes largely of 
soot, and is trod upon the pavements by 
the throngs of pedestrians, so that ladies 
never think of induliiing in the luxury 
of trailing skii'ts. The humid state of 
the atmosphere keeps the streets always 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



275 



damp, so that watering is unnecessary, 
and dust a novelty. Indeed, the city has 
the appearance from this cause of being 
much dh-tier than it really is. The crook- 
edness of its thoroughfares is not equaled 
by any other city in the world. It seems 
to have been built hap-hazard, without a 
plan, and never to have l)een impr(n-ed or 
straightened, or its old original thor- 
oughfares widened. There are but three 
broad streets in the business centre of the 
city — the Strand, Regent Street, and Ox- 
ford Street — and these are not much more 
than half as broad, and not half as long, 
as any one of the numerous boulevards 
of Paris. Its heavy and gloomy archi- 
tecture, and the smoked and stained 
walls of what otherwise would be very 
elegant public structures and churches, 
its whity-brown brick, streaked and 
stained and innocent of paint, its Avind- 
ing, turning, and twisting streets, are all 
in strong contrast with those of Paris, or 
with almost any of the Continental cities. 
Around the parks and in the outskirts 
there are many very elegant private resi- 
dences and straight and broad streets, 
but none, with the exception of those oc- 
cupied by the nobility, will compare in 
elegance with the numerovis private 
residences of the merchant-princes of 
America, or such, for example, as those 
^ of Robert McLean, George Small, John 
W. Garrett, J. Strieker Jenkins, or any 
of the mansions surrounding or in the 
vicinity of Mount Vernon or Eutaw 
Place. 

LONDON AND PARIS. 

We have spent the greater part of the 
past two days in walking and strolling 
over the city. Having mastered its plan, 
such as it is, we have occasionally crossed 
diagonally through the narrow thorough- 
fixres from one point to another, and, al- 
though the weather was clear and dry, 
we do not think any portion of Baltimore 
could present such an uninviting appear- 
ance. Narrow and dirty pavements, dirty 
streets, and dirty front doors and steps 
were the rule, and cleanliness the excep- 
tion. Indeed, it was often necessary to 
move along with care to prevent defile- 
ment and bad smells, whilst ragged and 
dirty childi*en were the only embellish- 
ments of the scene. In Paris, the police 
arrest any one who appears on the street 
ragged and dirty, and, go where you will, 
neither dirty nor ragged men, women, or 
children are to be seen. There every- 
body is compelled to keep their pavements 
and the street in front of their houses 



clean, but in London everybody has the 
privilege of making as untidy an appear- 
ance as they may like. This species of 
liberty the Englishman certainly enjoys 
to his heart's content. 

DRUNKARDS AND BEGGARS. 

During nearly five months' sojourn 
in Prussia, Austria, Italy, and France, 
we never saw or encountered any one 
laboring under the effect of intoxicating 
liquors, not even sufficiently exhilarated 
to be noisy. But during a two hours' 
walk in the streets of London, within a 
half-mile of Trafalgar Square, about 
four o'clock in the afternoon, we passed 
more than a dozen reeling drunkards, 
and, in one case, two drunken women, 
each trying to help the other home. The 
"gin-mills" and rummeries and "cor- 
ner groceries" were as numerous as in 
some of our narrow thoroughfares, and 
both men and women could be seen at 
the counters imbibing, and engaged in 
noisy controversy. If such was the as- 
pect of affairs in the middle of the day, 
it is not difficult to imagine what it must 
be after nightfall. We also encountered 
beggars and solicitors f)r alms under 
various pretenses every ^qw minutes, and 
dirty and ragged children innumerable. 
These beggars dart at every carriage that 
stops, and solicit a penny for opening the 
door. Indeed, Italy cannot now compai'e 
with London for the number and perti- 
nacity of its beggars, and for the woe- 
begone aspect with which they make their 
solicitations. In Paris any one caught 
in the act of begging is at once arrested, 
whilst in London they swarm about with 
impunity. They beg or steal, as the op- 
portunity may offer, and are arrayed in 
such rags and tatters as to be positively 
offensive. 

HOW TO SEE A CITY. 

There is no way in which a city can be 
seen by the stranger so thoroughly as by 
walking over it, and getting occasionally 
on the top of an omnibus, all of these ve- 
hicles in London being what might be 
called double-deckers. There are some 
passenger railways above ground, and a 
good many under ground, but the omni- 
bus is still the great vehicle for travel in 
all parts of London. We have thus spent 
several days in roaming over London, 
which seems like a dozen large cities that 
have grown into each other. If you turn 
off from such fashionable thoroughfares 
as Regent Street, Oxford Street, Pall Mall, 
or the Strand, in a few minutes narrow 



276 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



streets are encountered, with their gin- 
shops and poverty-stricken tenements, 
whilst a few squares farther will bring 
you to a fashionaljle neighborhood, with 
its public squares and terraces, and so on 
ad infinitum through the length and 
breadth of the city. There are but few 
straight streets in any direction, the city 
presenting a labyrinth through which it 
would be difficult to thread your way 
without a map in hand. London is cer- 
tainly sadly in need of a Napoleon to 
open boulevards through its length and 
breadth. Then the naming of the streets 
is on a system most perplexing. The 
name of a street is frequently changed 
every fcAV squares. That London is a 
congregation of towns that have finally 
grown into each other is palpable from 
the fact that there are within its limits 
thirty-seven King Streets, thirty-five 
Charles Streets, and twenty-nine John 
Streets. 

THE STORES OF LONDON. 

The reader will probably be surprised 
to learn that in the whole of London we 
saw no retail drj'-goods store as large as 
that of Hamilton, Easter & Sons in Bal- 
timore, and only one about the size of 
that of Mr. Neal. There are thousands 
upon thousands of stores, but they are, 
with a feAv exceptions, small. There are 
silk stores, hose stores, lace stores, poplin 
stores, cloth stores, linen stores, but those 
with a general assortment of dry goods or 
any other kind of goods are very limited. 
Many of them make a splendid display 
in their windows, but if you go inside 
their shelves will be found comparatively 
empty, the window seeming to be the 
chief receptacle of their meagre stocks, 
even Avhen the signs over the doors indi- 
cate that they have the patronage of Her 
Majesty the Queen and His Royal High- 
ness the Prince of Wales. The stores of 
London will not compare with those of 
Paris in any respect, and it is very diffi- 
cult for the stranger to find what he may 
be wanting after the most diligent search. 
Even the book stores are cut up in the 
same way. There are scientific book 
stores, poetical book stores, and separate 
stores for school-books, novels, and other 
literary productions. But this lack of 
generality is observable in everything ; 
consequently retail business is on a small 
scale compared with such establishments 
in American cities. Thei-e is not in the 
whole of London a gentlemen's furnish- 
ing establishment the stock of which 
would be sufficient to decorate the win- 



dows of one of our large establishments 
on Baltimore Street. As to household 
goods, the establishment of Samuel Childs 
ct Co., on Charles Street, or of Messrs. 
Hopkins, on Baltimoi-e Street, contains ^ 
more goods than forty of the largest stores 
of the kind in London. If a half-dozen 
shirts are called for, some samples are 
shown, and the balance is promised to 
be furnished next day. The fact is that 
the whole visible stock of a majority of the 
stores could be packed into a furniture- 
wagon and carted off" at twenty minutes' 
notice. The jewelry store of Frodsham, 
the great watchmaker on the Strand, is 
about as large as the space between the 
counter of The American office and the 
front door, and does not contain as many 
goods as are daily exhibited in the show- 
windows alone of the store of Messrs. 
Canfield & Co., A. E. Warner, Larmour & 
Co., or Webb's on Baltimore Street. 
There are numbers of arcades, the stores 
of which are eight or ten feet deep, near- 
ly everything being in the windows or 
arranged on tables at the doors. 



THE PUBLIC PARKS. 



The great glory of London is its public 
parks, which are numerous and very ex- 
tensive, and, being located in the very 
heart of the city, are easily approached 
from almost any direction. They are 
seven in number, and are not inaptly 
termed the lungs of London. They are 
chiefly at the west end, but St. James's 
Park, the Green Park, Hyde Park, and 
Kensington Gardens lie so close to each 
other that one may walk from Charing 
Cross, the very heart of the metropolis, 
to Bayswatei', a distance of three miles, 
without scarcely taking one's feet off the 
sod. These three parks, embracing over 
six hundred acres, inclose London on its 
west side, whilst Regent's Park lies to 
the northwest, Victoria and Finsbury 
Parks to the northeast, and Battersea 
Park, a beautifully-kept flower-garden, 
cricket-grounds, etc., on the Thames, 
opposite Chelsea, is to the southwest. In 
all these parks there are one thousand 
nine hundred and twenty-six acres, and 
they are all inside of the city of London. 
Each of them has extensive cricket- 
grounds, where the boys of the metropo- 
lis throng on Saturday afternoon with bat 
and ball to play the national game. They 
are inclosed with iron railings, and during 
the season are thronged with gay equip- 
ages. Everybody of distinction being, 
however, out of town at the present time, 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



211 



we found the turn-outs at Hyde Park very 
plain and limited. 

THE LONDON NEWSPAPERS, 

A close reading of the London news- 
papers for a week past causes much 
astonishment at the lack of enterpi-ise 
evinced by them, even including the 
great Times. \Ve do not think the dis- 
patches from America for the entire week 
exceeded twenty-five lines, and most of 
this was market-reports. From Europe 
the readers of The American will find 
from a column to a column and a half of 
foreign news daily, whilst the great Times 
contents itself with two or three lines 
from our side of the Atlantic. Its do- 
mestic dispatches are equally as meagre, 
and some days literally amount to nothing. 
There are seldom less than four or five 
columns of telegraphic news in our lead- 
ing newspapers, and sometimes it extends 
to double that, which is equal to the 
amount contained in a whole week's issue 
of the Times. The domestic correspond- 
ence in the London papers is also very 
meagre, and it would be difficult to find 
more dull and spiritless journals any- 
where. Their main attraction to the Eng- 
lishman is their editorials and local news 
and letters from the people, especially 
during this season of the year, when 
Parliament is not in session. 

SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER. 

We attended service on Sunday morn- 
ing at Westminster Abbey, and found it 
filled to overflowing with an immense con- 
gregation, mostly made up of strangers 
in the city, Avho make it a rule to always 
attend one Sunday service at the abbey. 
The morning service consumed precisely 
one hour and thirty minutes, it requiring 
about double the time that is deemed 
necessary in the old-fashioned Episcopal 
chui-ches at home. The organ and the 
fine voices of the choristers combined to 
make the service sound very similar to 
the services at St. Peter's in Rome, fully 
equaling it in its volume and its fine 
musical execution. The intoning of the 
Litany and the Creed, as well as of other 
portions of the service, was more decided 
than we had ever before heard it in 
an Episcopal church. The sermon was 
preached by Dean Stanley, but although 
we were seated within what would be 
considered good hearing-distance in al- 
most any other building, his articulation 
was entirely drowned by the reverberation 
of his voice among the vaulted columns 
of the spacious structure. The only 



words that reached us during the entire 
delivery, occupying nearly an hour, were 
" the Church of England," which, being 
repeated so often, indicated that it was a 
church-establishment sermon; hence we 
comforted ourselves with the conviction 
that we had probably heard sufficient of 
it. The dissensions in the Church of 
England are certainly doing great damage 
to the cause of religion. 

UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS. 

The underground railways of London 
are of the most extensive character, four- 
teen miles of which are now complete 
and in running order. The enterprise 
proposes, when completed, to finish an 
inner circle and an outer circle, through 
which the cars will continue to run round 
and round all day, stopping at the nume- 
rous stations on the route to take in and 
discharge passengers. Most of the sta- 
tions are open to the daylight, but there 
are some entirely underground and lit 
with gas. The number of passengers 
carried over this road last year was forty 
millions, and there has been a large in- 
crease this year. The cars are driven by 
steam, the locomotives being of a peculiar 
construction, which enables them to con- 
sume their own smoke. They carry six 
to eight carSj with first, second, and third- 
class compartments, and move along at the 
rate of about fifteen miles per hour, includ- 
ing stoppages at the stations. Almost any 
point in the city can be reached in thirty 
minutes, even to a distance that would 
require a couple of hours to go in a cab or 
an omnibus. These cars are well lighted 
with gas, and there is nof the least incon- 
venience to passengers from smoke, dust, 
or gas. Nothing escapes from the loco- 
motive but a small amount of steam. 
There are numerous openings or vesti- 
bules along the route, besides the large 
and spacious stations, which are fitted up 
with every convenience for the accommo- 
dation of passengers waiting for the 
trains, one of which passes every few 
minutes, some of them passing off into 
branch tunnels leading to widely differ- 
ent stations. The old Thames Tunnel 
has been utilized by the underground 
roads, and now trains are constantly 
flying through it to stations on either 
side of the river. After being so many 
years a mere engineering curiosity, it has 
at last been made serviceable in relieving 
the streets and bridges of the metropolis 
from the great rush of travel. This road 
passes under streets, sewers, gas- and 
water-pipes, and houses, without incom- 



278 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



moding any one or making the slightest 
noise above ground. Indeed, a stranger 
in Loudon would scarcely know of its 
existence were he not to follow the throng 
of people who aro constantly passing in 
and out of the stations. It is a great 
relief to the streets, which are still 
thronged with omnibuses, carriages, and 
pedestrians. The street-railways are also 
being extended in some parts of the city 
above ground, but still meet with much 
opposition, organized by the powerful 
omnibus companies. 

RAMBLES IN LONDON. 

Our first afternoon in London was de- 
voted to the parks, and there were not 
many better turn-outs than can be seen 
in our own Druid Hill on a fair day. 
There were powdered footmen dressed in 
gaudy liveries, but neither horseflesh, 
vehicles, nor occupants struck us as par- 
ticularly excellent or attractive. It is the 
fashion to disfigure the horses by " bang- 
ing" their tails, which lias been copied 
by even the cab-horses, destroying all 
grace and beauty in the animals. 

We spent the evening at Madame Tus- 
saud's Wax-Works, and found the spa- 
cious halls, as usual, crowded with visitors. 
From ten o'clock in the morning until 
ten o'clock at night there is a constant 
throng of visitors at this popular resort, 
and no American ever stops in Loudon 
without paying it a visit. The figures 
are so perfect in expression of counte- 
nance, likeness, and dress of the distin- 
guished personages represented, that the 
effect is peculiarly pleasing. The whole 
royal family ar6 here in court dress; but 
the group that attracted most attention 
was that of Abraham Lincoln, General 
Grant, and Andrew Johnson. The lat- 
ter is a good likeness, but the other two 
are poor, yet still sufficiently correct to 
be recognized. Among these wax figures 
are those of all the great statesmen, kings, 
and murderers of the past generation, as 
well as the infant children of the Prince 
of Wales. If a visitor happens to take 
a seat on one of the ottomans inter- 
spersed among the " figgers" it is some- 
times difficult for a moment to decide 
which is which. Mrs. Jarley is certainly 
distanced by Madame Tussaud. 

THE TOWER OF LONDON. 

Having a couple of days to spend in 
London, we visited this ancient historical 
pile on Saturday morning, and found as 
usual a great crowd of visitors, including 
many Americans. The warders, tvi'clve 



in nuin];er, in the ancient dress worn by 
their predecessors three centuries ago, 
were all busy, each having a party of 
from twenty to thirty with them passing 
through the tower. In some portions of 
the building we would pass two or three 
of these parties, and at times had to stop 
in our progress to let them pass. The 
warder as he progresses describes every- 
thing bi'iefly, and points out all the promi- 
nent matters of historical interest. We 
gassed through the Bloody Tower, the 
ell Tower, the Beauchamp, Devereux, 
Flint, Bowyer, Brick, Jewel, Constable, 
Broad Arrow, Salt, and Record Towers, 
all of Avhich have their separate histories 
and traditions. The Bloody Tower is the 
traditionary scene of the murder of the 
royal children, the two sons of Edward 
IV., in 1483. The Bell Tower was Queen 
Elizabeth's prison when incarcerated 
here. The Beauchamp Tower was the 
prison of Lady Jane Grey and her hus- 
band. Lord Guilford Dudley, as well as 
of a host of other distinguished prisoners 
who suffered martyrdom during the bloody 
eras. Immediately in front of the tower 
is an inclosure about twenty feet square, 
where the scaffold was erected upon which 
Lady Jane Grey and Anne Boleyn and a 
number of other female prisoners were 
executed. The White Tower was the 
prison of Sir Walter Raleigh, and here 
is exhibited the veritable block upon 
which he was beheaded. The inscriptions 
cut in the stone walls in all these towers 
by .the prisoners are must curious and in- 
teresting, and are religiously preserved. 
That attributed to Lady Jane Grey was 
traced on the wall with a pin, as follows : 

" To mortals' common fate thy mind resign : 
My lot to-day, to-morrow may be thine." 

The horse-armory is very interesting, 
containing as it does specimens of ar- 
mor and of weapons of almost every age 
of English history, commencing as far 
back as the year 1422. The various imple- 
ments of warfare and torture for so many 
centuries are most curious, and are ar- 
ranged with artistic skill. The most inter- 
esting, especially to the ladies, is the Jewel 
Tower, containing a large iron cage, about 
twelve feet square, in which are exhibited 
all the crown jewels and royal regalia. 

This is a splendid sight, and we pre- 
sume the whole collection is worth prob- 
ably not less than twenty millions of dol- 
lars, judging by the value of the crown 
of Queen Victoria, which the custodian 
assures us cost nearly one million of 
dollars. The great Koh-i-noor diamond 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



279 



is also among this collection, and is the 
property of the Queen. It is about as 
large as an English walnut. 

The crown of her Majesty Queen Vic- 
toria is a cap of purple velvet, inclosed 
in hoops of silver, surrounded by a ball 
and cross, all of which are resplendent 
with diamonds. In the centre of the 
cross is the " inestimable sapphire," and 
in front of the crown is the heart-shaped 
ruby said to have been worn by the Black 
Prince. 

THE CRYSTAL PALACE. 

We spent the afternoon and evening at 
the Crystal Palace, which was fortunately 
a gala-day at that celebrated resort of 
citizens and strangers. Vocal and instru- 
mental concerts, with Santley as one of 
the singers, performances on the great 
organ, the playing of the immense foun- 
tains, and a grand illumination at night 
of the extensive gardens and grounds, 
were among the attractions of the day. 
The number of visitors could not have 
been less than six thousand, and as the 
price of admission, about $1.50, was three 
times larger than usual, the audience 
was very select. The scene from the 
terrace in the evening, when the fountains 
were throwing up their hundreds of 
streams of water, bands of music per- 
forming, glee-clubs singing, and thou- 
sands of lanterns blazing among the foli- 
age and beds of flowers, amid all which 
the gay throng of visitors were prome- 
nading, was grand beyond description. 

The beds of flowers and general tiori- 
cultural embellishments of these grounds, 
embracing several hundred acres, are cer- 
tainly unsurpassed in artistic arrange- 
ment. No carriages are admitted into the 
inclosure, its broad and smooth avenues 
being entirely reserved for pedestrians. 
On some days, when admission and rail- 
road-fare are low, there have been fifty 
thousand persons in attendance. 

THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN. 

We spent a few hours at the famous 
Zoological Garden of London, which is 
located in the centre of Regent Park, and 
were much disappointed in the extent of 
its collection of animals. It is a beauti- 
ful flower-garden, covering about twenty 
acres, and has a few very fine lions and 
tigers, but the whole estal)lishment 
scarcely contains more curiosities in the 
animal kingdom than Forepaugh's travel- 
ing menagerie. There are numerous mon- 
keys, but even these are all of the smaller 
species, two small elephants, a couple of 



dromedaries, and a small collection of 
birds. There are several varieties of 
bears, a zebra, and a fine specimen of the 
American elk and deer. The collection 
of seals is very good, and the huge basin 
in which they are kept was constantly 
surrounded by a thnmg of spectators 
viewing the antics of two very tame crea- 
tures, which would come out of the water 
at the sound of the whistle of their 
keeper, and climb upon two chairs placed 
on a platform for their accommodation. 
The old one would kiss and fondle his 
keeper the same as a dog, and even climb 
into his lap. The two elephants were 
cai-rying about a dozen children on their 
backs, and walking leisurely around 
among the people. The Paris Zoological 
Garden is far more extensive and elegant, 
and the number and variety of the ani- 
mals on exhibition double that of the 
royal establishment of London. 

THE AMERICAN ABROAD. 

Every American who has traveled 
through Europe this year has felt, in his ■'^ 
daily intercourse with the people, that our 
country never before stood so high in their 
estimation. That we should be paying 
off our national debt is a thing that no 
European can understand, and especially 
that whilst doing so we should show such 
evidence of national and individual pros- 
perity. The presence of so many thou- *; 
sands of Americans in Europe, and their 
lavish expenditure, startle them still 
more. Many Englishmen whom we en- 
countered taking a summer trip in Swit- 
zerland were full of curiosity as to all 
these matters, and asked as many ques- 
tions as could have been propounded by 
the most inquisitive Yankee. There is, 
however, a vei-y sure feeling in England 
about the result of the Alabama claims 
negotiations. 

Our little party are very plainly dressed, 
and very plain-looking people, arrayed 
precisely as other people are here in Lon- 
don, and moving along modestly and 
quietly on the thoi'oughfares. Still, by 
some kind of intuition, even the children 
in the streets recognize us as Americans, ■« 
and many stop to stare at us and turn to 
look after us. We frequently hear the 
exclamation " Americans" from old and 
young, and imagine that there is good 
feeling and respect in the recognition. 
The cab-drivers all know an American, 
and rush to secure him ; the bootblacks 
are equally pertinacious, and the shop- 
keepers evince evident gratification when ^ 
an American enters their doors. Prices 



280 



EUROPE VIEWED TH ROUGE 



advance wherever they go, and, as they 
generally spend their money like princes, 
the world is filled with wonder as to how 
they manage to get so much of it. The 
possession of money, and its liberal ex- 
penditure by those who are supposed to 
have earned it, is a novelty in Europe, 
and the American is the only traveler 
who does not keep a tight watch upon his 
purse-strings. They try to account for it 
by supposing that living is so costly in 
America that our countrymen save money 
by spending their summer vacations in 
Europe, or that they stint themselves at 
home to come over here and make a 
splurge. That the American is more of 
an enigma at the present time in Europe 
than ever before, is very perceptible, and 
that John Bull is more at a loss than 
heretofore to fathom his American cousin 
is evinced by all classes. 

LONDON LOCAL ITEMS. 

The newsboys of London have none of 
the manly characteristics of those of 
America. They follow and whine after 
passers-by as if they were a set of beg- 
gars, and are generally most ragged and 
forlorn-looking specimens of the rising 
generation. The business appears to be 
overdone, and they are probably too nu- 
merous to prosper. 

Advertising on the walls and fences 
is extensively followed by the London 
papers, especially the Keios and the Tele- 
graph, both by hand-lnlls and elaborately- 
painted signs, the latter with lettering 
from twelve to eighteen inches in size. 
Wherever there is room, or liberty can be 
obtained to put up one of these signs, it 
is availed of, and we have passed not less 
than a thousand of them proclaiming 
that the News is of "world-wide circula- 
tion," and that the Telegraph has the 
" largest circulation of any newspaper in 
the world." Punch, and all the weekly 
papers, follow the same system of adver- 
tising. 

On returning from the Crystal Palace 
on Saturday, we passed in the suburbs a 
large factory for the preparation of "Dog 
Cake and Poultry Food," by some patent 
process, " delivered to customei-s without 
extra charge." 

The cooks and waiting-maids are hold- 
ing meetings and making speeches in 
favor of higher wages, fewer hours of 
labor, and are stipulating for better tem- 
per on the part of their lady employers. 
One speaker urges that the society keep 
a book of record as to the character of 



mistresses, for the guidance of members 
in making engagements. 

Asphaltum pavements are being exten- 
sively laid in the business sections of Lon- 
don, and some wooden pavements. The 
streets for miles in the neighborhood of 
St. Paul's and the Bank of England are 
laid in white asphaltum, and are very 
beautiful. They have been in constant 
use for two years, and, notwithstanding 
the immense throng of vehicles, are as 
perfect as if just laid. They are very 
slippery for the horses, especially if driven 
fast, but that is generally impossible in 
most parts of London. 

Street railroads, or, as they call them 
here, " tramways," are being extensively 
laid on the Surrey side of the Thames, 
and a number of them are already in op- 
eration. The cars are the same as ours, 
except that they have seats upon the top. 
The interiors of the cars are almost ex- 
clusively occupied by ladies, the gentle- 
men preferring the top-seats, where they 
can enjoy their pipes. They do not 
allow more to get in them than there are 
seats for, though they can seat forty-eight. 
In this respect they certainly diifer fi-om 
our cars. The city being very level, this 
number can be drawn with ease by two 
horses. 

SUNDAY IN LONDON. 

Sunday is a very quiet day in London, 
and the weather being fine to-day the at- 
tendance at the churches seems to be very 
large. Everybody on the streets is in 
Sunday apparel ; the omnibuses and cars 
are crowded, and the Thames steamers are 
thronged with passengers. Being located 
at Chai'ing Cross Hotel, within a stone's 
throw of St. Ann's and Trafalgar Squares, 
and in close proximity to Victoria Tower, 
we were aroused this morning by the 
sweetest chime of bells in the world, 
which are rung with artistic skill. The 
boys were, however, on the streets selling 
the Sunday papers and boxes of matches 
as usual, but we judge they are not al- 
lowed to cry their wares on Sunday, as 
they move about in dignified silence. 

WESTMINSTER ABBEY. 

We spent a few hours to-day among 
the chapels, cloisters, and tombs of West- 
minster Abbey, viewing the tombs of 
Milton, Shakspeare, Dickens, Addison, 
Sheridan, Beaumont, Spenser, Campbell, 
Southey, and other distinguished poets 
and writers. These attract more attention 
than the tombs of kings and queens, 
being of men distinguished for their great 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



281 



intellect rather than the accident of birth, 
and unstained by the crimes which mar 
the characters of so many of those who 
lie in close proximity to them. 

In this venerable structure all the coro- 
nations have taken place since the days 
of Edward the Confessor, Here it is 

"Where royal heads receive the sacred gold ; 
It gives them crowns, and does their ashes keep — 
There made like gods, like mortals there they sleep." 

The abbey is of Gothic design, built 
in the form of a cross, and is four hundred 
feet long by two hundred feet wide. It 
was originally founded in 658, the first 
building being destroyed by the Danes, 
and afterwards rebuilt in 958, nearly one 
thousand years ago. 

MR. SPURGEON IN THE PULPIT. 

**» On Sunday morning we moved towards 
the Tabernacle of the Kev. Mr. Spurgeon. 
We reached the front of the immense 
structure at about twenty minutes of 
eleven o'clock, and found several hun- 
dred persons waiting at the front doors, 
which were not yet opened. The pew- 
holders and those holding tickets had pre- 
viously been admitted at a side-door. A 
moment after our arrival the front doors 
were opened, and a rush was made to se- 
cure an entrance, the rule being to admit 
only as many as the vacant seats can ac- 
commodate. We had scarcely got inside 
of the sill when the doors were closed 
again, and at the same moment Mr. 
• Spurgeon advanced to the front of bis 
platform and gave out ahyinn, which was 
sung by the whole congregation, rising. 
The seiwices usually commence as soon 
as the house is full, and then the doors 
are closed. 

The vast tabernacle has two tiers of gal- 
leries going entirely around the interior, 
and the front of the first tier is the point 
from which Mr. Spurgeon holds f )rth, so 
that he has at least two thousand of his 
auditors behind him. This was probably 
necessary to enable his voice to be heard 
in all parts, which is accomplished with 
remarkable effect and distinctness. 

Mr. Spurgeon, in his mode of conduct- 
ing the services, is energetic and earnest. 
He is a man of remarkably ungraceful 
appearance, short and thick-set, with high 
shoulders and short neck. His head is 
round and face full, having his hair parted 
in the middle, and short, thick, brown 
whiskers circling his face, both chin and 
upper lip being closely shaven. At first 
siglit the impression is one of disappoint- 
ment, as it would seem impossible to ex- 



pect anything original or Impressive from 
so ordinary and material a looking man. 
He rushed into his pulpit duties as if he 
was in a hurry to get through with them, 
not waiting for the hundreds of i)ersons 
to obtain seats who had just crowded 
themselves into the aisles and vestibules. 
Three hymns were given out and sung 
before the sermon, two extempore prayers 
delivered, and a chapter of the Bible read, 
the speaker commenting upon each verse 
as he progressed, making a practical appli- 
cation and explaining and expounding its 
meaning. This was a most pleasing part 
of the service, replete with something 
that the hearer would remember after 
leaving the church. The entire services 
occupied two hours, the only time Mr. 
Spurgeon sat down being whilst the three 
hymns were being sung, after he had read 
them to his congregation. Among the 
striking expressions in his prayers were 
the following: "May the words given us 
to utter to-day be like burning arrows to 
the hearts of our hearers." " The breath 
in our nostrils is Thy gift." " God, 
put our tears into Thy bottle and preserve 
them." He frequently alluded in the 
most impressive manner to the spread of 
idolatry over the land, and seemed to re- 
fer to the growth of High Church doc- % 
trines as tending to the worship of idols. 
He took his text from the eighteenth 
chapter and fourteenth verse of the First 
Book of Kings, declaring at the outset 
that what he would have to say this morn- 
ing would not be addressed to the sinner, 
but to those who professed to be regener- 
ate, and who would with him approach 
the communion-table in the afternoon. 
He wanted no profession without daily 
practice, exclaiming, " Letus have no pro- 
fession, or make it perfect and true : 
there is no sin that Jesus loves, conse- 
quently there is no sin that Jesus spares." 
So long as there was a single sin clung to, 
there was no regeneration. There were 
'' little sins and big sins," and it was 
these little sins that were most danger- 
ous to the professing Christian, leading, 
as they would, to a total disregard of 
Christian duty. Among these little sins 
he alluded to bad temper in the family or 
place of business, little acts of unkindness 
to our fellow-men, lack of patience, un- 
charitableness, and unkindness to ser- 
vants and dependants. lie at times be- 
came very eloquent and impressive, and 
told his hearers that they were deluding 
themselves if they imagined their hearts 
were regenerate so long as they clung to 
these little sins. They could not be Chris- 



282 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



tians and practice the couplet of Iludi- 
bras, — 

"Compound for sins they are inclined to, 
By damning those they have no mind to." 

At the close of the sermon, which 
lasted about fifty minutes, the congrega- 
tion were dismissed without any collec- 
tion, but the rattling of money called our 
attention to the fact that permanent boxes 
were located in all parts of the church, 
into which the congregation dropped their 
contributions as they passed out. The 
fact that Mr. Spurgeon has been preach- 
* ing for nearly twenty years to congrega- 
tions numbering eight to ten thousand, 
and that it requires a ticket to insure a 
seat in so large a church every Sunday 
morning and evening, in good or bad 
weather, is a sufficient refutation of those 
who persist in regarding him as sensa- 
tional. That he has built up the largest 
congregation in London, with most ex- 
tensive charitable organizations, is suffi- 
cient evidence that his popularity and 
usefulness depend on something more 
tangible than mere superficial oratory. 
He speaks without a note of any kind, 
and at times, leaning upon the Bible, 
seems as if holding a conversation with 
his hearers. His fluency is wonderful, 
and the originality of thought and ex- 
pression seems as if entirely suggested at 
the moment of utterance, without any pre- 
vious forethought or preparation. 

MR. spurgeon's peculiarities. 

The following sketch of a sermon we 
heard Mr. Spurgeon preach on a former 
visit to London will better illustrate his 
peculiar style, and the reason why he at- 
tracts such never-failing crowds of lis- 
teners. 

The services commenced with reading 
a hymn, showing him to be a beautiful 
and impressive reader, with a voice at- 
tuned and capable of the most distinct 
and impressive enunciation. After the 
hymn was sung by the congregation, he 
opened the Testament and commenced 
reading portions of the twenty-second 
chapter of St. Luke, relative to Peter's 
denial of Christ, commenting upon them 
as he proceeded, in a conversational man- 
ner, applying the course of Peter to many 
professed followers of Christ at the pres- 
ent day. When alluding to Christ's ex- 
clamation to Peter, " Simon ! Simon ! 
behold, Satan hath desired to have you, 
that he may sift you as wheat!" he ex- 
claimed, " Ah, brethren, it is well we 
should all be sifted at times, even if the 



devil do hold the sieve. It will do us 
good, even as it did Peter good, and pre- 
pare us for that true repentance and con- 
version which many of us need." These 
quaint expressions occurred all through 
his remarks, but they seemed to flow 
from him so naturally as to add to the 
impressiveness of his language rather 
than to mar it. lie occupied about fif- 
teen minutes in this portion of the ser- 
vices, and, after the singing of another 
hymn, he took for his text the sixty-sec- 
ond verse of the same chapter : — " And 
Peter went out and wept bitterly." 

The subject he proposed to expound to 
his hearers was True Penitence, and he 
would use the case of Peter to illustrate — 
first, its cause ; second, its object ; third, 
its nature ; fourth, its signs ; fifth, the 
place for repentance ; and sixth, its efiect. 
He took up each of these divisions of his 
subject sejjarately, his manner being that 
of a person in careless conversation with 
one or two friends. Most of his time he 
leaned down with his elbows on the 
Bible, but occasionally rose as he fired 
up with his subject with startling energy 
and thrilling effect. Still, it appeared so 
entirely natural that no one could jDOSsi- 
bly accuse him of any studied effort. In 
fact, his style and language rather im- 
pi-ess one with the feeling that he speaks 
without preparation, and without caring 
whether he pleases or displeases his 
hearers. 

When speaking of the nature of true 
repentance and the tears of Peter, con- 
sidering that he was speaking to his own 
congregation in his own church, he fully 
illustrated this independence of style. As 
to the tears of a man, he placed great 
value on them, especially if he was a 
strong-minded man like Peter, full of 
power, energy, and determination. But 
there were some persons whose tears 
flowed at trifles — even at reading a sickly 
and sentimental story ; there were silly 
women who were always crying ; and he 
knew some persons whose tears are not 
worth a farthing a quart. Some who ap- 
plied to him for admission to church- 
membership did not know what true re- 
pentance was, and some already in the 
fold ought to be sifted. Instead of being 
prompt in doing good, they were dissen- 
tious, and quarrel over matters that have 
nothing to do with the saving of souls 
or the advancement of the kingdom of 
God on earth. He wanted to hear noth- 
ing of these dissensions and divisions, but 
hoped that all present who believed in 
Christ and were truly penitent would 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



283 



meet him at the communion-table with- 
out regard to sectarianism of any kind. 

At another point in his discourse he 
said he had no confidence in those who 
were always praying in public and weep- 
ing in public, any more than he had in 
those who jump into religion at a spring. 
He was always afraid of them ; he feared 
there was a want of deep-toned feeling. 
Peter, when he wept, went out from the 
company he was in ; he wanted to be in 
private ; and so every one who is truly 
repentant seeks privacy for prayer and 
tears. Speaking of the bitterness of true 
repentance, he said it was like breaking 
the teeth up ivith gravel-stones, it was 
crushing out the infernal impudence and 
selfishness from the heart of man. 

These of course are only a few dis- 
jointed sentences, which were intermixed 
with eloquent and at times most mild 
and sweetly-spoken langu.age. His easy 
and graceful conversational manner is 
undoubtedly the great secret of his suc- 
cess, whilst his earnest and impressive 
style must always carry with it a convic- 
tion of deep-toned piety. Several times 
during his discourse he repudiated sec- 
tarianism, and declared that it had noth- 
ing to do with true religion, — that men 
were wasting their energies and throwing 
dissensions into the kingdom of Christ 
on earth by the discussion and propaga- 
tion of views and doctrines that were not 
essential to salvation, and therefore of no 
importance. 

COVENT GARDEX MARKET. 

Before the sun has pierced the heavy 
London smoke, and while the main part 
of its citizens are enjoying their last 
morning nap, Covent Garden Market is 
in its glory. The space it covers is 
similar in shape and size to Hanover 
Market, but a little smaller. No wagon 
or cart drawn by horses has any access to 
it, and the building and square are filled 
only with vegetables, fruits, and flowers. 
The compactness with which these are 
stored is a novelty, there being no divid- 
ing-line between the baskets of different 
owners, and the pathways left for pur- 
chasers are seldom more than two feet 
wide. These are intersected by others a 
little wider, through which run the hand- 
trucks to carry off purchases. The sales 
at this market are almost exclusively to 
dealers, and families are supplied, as in 
New York, from small green-groceries. 
Except the dealers in cabbage, no single 
huckster occupied more than two yards 
square, and the majority not more than 



one. Everything was in stout circular 
baskets with upright sides, holding about 
half a bushel, and jailed on top of each 
other to such a height above your head 
that to the stranger it seemed unsafe. 
Green peas, and much finer ones than 
grow in our State, are sold already 
shelled. A knot of women, miserably 
clad, gaunt and brown-faced, stowed so 
close together that they cannot move their 
arms, are busy shelling the peas, while 
the master salutes each passer-by with the 
never-varying invitation, ''Have a pea?" 

There were tomatoes, peaches, plums, 
cherries, and strawberries, all looking 
ripe and fresh, the latter as large as Eng- 
lish walnuts, but at prices which alone 
prove their scarcity. Tomatoes the size 
of an egg were four shillings a dozen. 
Peaches, small and yellow, were six shil- 
lings and sixpence the half-dozen. These 
fruits were neatly packed in boxes filled 
with fine raw cotton. 

AVe stopped in admiration before a 
stand of cut pansies. The size, freshness, 
depth, and brilliancy of color were won- 
derful. Fully a dozen flowers were in 
each bunch. Putting out ouc hand to pur- 
chase a bunch, " Twelvepence a dozen," 
said the market-woman. " We want but 
one bunch." " Never sell except a dozen," 
was the rejoinder, and she turned to 
bestow her smiles upon a couple of poor 
girls behind lis, w^lio were eagerl}^ count- 
ing the number of stems in a bunch, with 
an eye to a fresh division of flowers be- 
fore selling again on the streets. The 
calceolarias, fuchsias, and geraniums have 
a much more brilliant bloom than w^ith 
us, or else the cool moist air of England 
preserves the floAvers, so that the first are 
still bright when the latest are opening. 
When the pots are set in rows on the 
pavement the green leaves are entirely 
hidden, and the florist's stand seems to 
be only a mass of gorgeous tinted flowers. 
Still, to an untrained eye the exotics are 
less beautiful than the flowers of the 
field. The pastures are red with the 
scarlet poppies, the fields of grain are gay 
with them, and they peep out from between 
the stones and from the hawthorn hedges, 
while the least wind gives them a nod- 
ding motion, which adds to their grace 
and beauty. The crimson foxglove, too, 
grows in the forest, with a spike of 
flowers twice the length it attains in our 
gardens. These flowers and numerous 
others are offered for sale in bunches 
which show no artistic skill of arrange- 
ment, each kind of flower forming a 
nosegay by itself, yet the effect is there. 



284 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



The buds overhang the full-blown flowers ; 
the cone-shaped bunch is never un- 
graceful ; and it was a pleasure to see on 
the street-corners how rapidly the retail 
traders in bouquets disposed of their six- 
penny stock and darted back for a fresh 
supply. As we passed out we gave a look 
at the enormous gooseberries, each one of 
which would suflice for a small tart, and 
such lemons as never cross the Atlantic, 
so that we pardon the Englishman who 
called Baltimore lemons "only limes," 
and begin to doubt if we have ever seen 
such perfection of fruit before. 

The quantity of fruit provided is very 
scant for the number to be fed. But the 
English heart is very liberal in pies ; 
beef, pork, mutton, lobster, ham, jellies, 
jam, dried fruits, all are served on the table 
in pies. Ask for a plate of cake with ice- 
cream, and they bring an assortment of 
little pies. The desserts served at dinner 
are always pies of some sort. Frequently 
they are made more attractive by a French 
name, but the pastry, more or less bad, is 
never wanting. 

ENGLISH HOTELS. 

Four days' experience in English hotels 
has encouraged an anxiety to get out of 
them as soon as possible. No wonder the 
Englishman when traveling is given to 
grumbling and the loss of temper, when 
he has to put up with such accommoda- 
tions and miserable attendance as are re- 
ceived here. Nobody about the hotels is 
supposed to know anything, and take no 
trouble to inform themselves as to local 
knowledge that every citizen ought to 
possess. At table there is about one 
waiter to every twenty guests, and if you 
can get through with an ordinary dinner 
in an hour and a half you are very for- 
tunate. If you call for a glass of ice- 
water it is put in your bill, as it is an 
article only made to order. The eleva- 
tors, or " lifters," as they call them, only 
run from the bottom floor, and everybody 
is required to walk down-stairs. As to 
the departure of trains, no one knows 
anything, and you are referred to the 
depot -officer. The bills presented you 
upon your departure are a mass of items 
of which you know nothing, including 
Is. &d. per day for attendance. You are 
notified that servants are not allowed to 
receive gratuities, but if you ask one of 
them the simplest question their hands 
are extended for a shilling. 

As to the expense, in addition to the 
trouble of giving a written order for 
everything you want at table, it averages 



about four dollars per day, provided you 
call for about one-half of what would Ije 
furnished you at any one of our leading 
hotels. Indeed, going to dinner soon be- 
comes a positive nuisance to be dreaded, 
rather than a source of pleasure. 

EXCURSION ON THE THAMES. 

One of the most interesting sights in 
London is to take one of the steamboats 
on the Thames, which passes directly 
through the heart of the city for about 
fifteen miles. There are several hundred 
small steamers moving day and night, 
stopping a moment to land and take ofl" 
passengers at every bridge, and they are 
always crowded to their fullest capacity, 
each boat carrjnng from one hundred and 
fifty to two hundred passengers. For ten- 
pence one can travel the whole distance. 
These boats serve the purpose of omni- 
buses to carry citizens from one part of 
the city to another, greatly relieving the 
crowded thoroughfares. It is indeed a 
highway of the meti-opolis, and displays 
in a more complete manner than any 
other what London really is, both in ex- 
tent and character. 

Starting from the Westminster Bridge, 
Ave had a good view of the Houses of 
Parliament, starting almost at the water's 
edge, with their immense towers rising 
three hundred and fifty feet in the smoky 
atmosphere, the tops of them seeraing as 
if half enveloped in clouds. The West- 
minster Bridge is a splendid specimen of 
architecture, built at a cost of one mil- 
lion dollars, with seven broad arches. 
As we descend the stream, Hungerford 
Suspension Bridge, starting on the Mid- 
dlesex shore from the Italian-looking 
Hungerford Market, next hangs its thread- 
like chains across the widest portion of 
the Thames. Then we approach the 
Adelphi Terrace, in the centre of Avhich 
lived and died the famous David Garrick. 
Then is seen Waterloo Bridge, built at a 
cost of about five million dollars, with its 
nine arches, the centre one having a span 
of one hundred and twenty feet, crowded, 
as are all the bridges, at all times, with 
carriages, vehicles, and pedestrians. The 
magnificent water-front of the Somerset 
House, so famous in English history, 
rises from a terrace immediately below 
this bridge, and extends four hundred 
feet along the river. Still f^irther down 
on the same shore, the pleasant Temple 
Gardens are seen on the left, green and 
flourishing amid the surrounding black- 
ness of the city. Blackfriars Bridge, 
over which is visible the stately dome of 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



285 



St. Paul's, is next passed ; then comes the 
densest portion of the city, with its crowd 
of spires, especially on the left bank. 
Southwark Bridge, with its centi-e span 
of two hundred and forty feet, built of 
iron, is next passed, and we approach 
London Bridge, the last of the metro- 
politan bridges, with its living tide of 
humanity, and its five massive granite 
arches, dividing the city into what is 
called "above" and "below" bridge. 
"Above" bridge, the traflSc of the river 
consists of coal-barges, the bright-colored 
and picturesque barges laden with straw, 
and small steamers darting about with 
railroad speed. 

Immediately after passing under the 
arches of London Bridge the scene is 
changed, and we emerge on a vast estuary 
crowded with vessels as far as the eye can 
reach, whilst to the left of the river are 
St. Catherine's D.icks, and those of the 
East India Company, filled with immense 
vessels, and extending for a mile along 
the shore. All the great commercial 
buildings of London lie on the left bank 
of the Thames below the bridge. Next 
we pass the famous Billingsgate fish- 
market, and then the Coal Exchange, and 
approach the Tower of London, the great 
massive structure, with its irregular build- 
ings, and famous Traitor's Gate, through 
which so many of the noblest men in 
England, in times long past, entered never 
to return again. Shortly after leaving 
the Tower we pass over the Thames Tun- 
nel, the last land connection between the 
two banks of the river. 

Greenwich, the great English hospital 
for worn-out men in the naval service, is 
next reached on the right bank, with the 
Isle of Dogs on the left, and the East In- 
dia Company's docks in the background, 
the forests of masts rising from it pre- 
senting an impenetrable mass to the 
eye. 

Below Greenwich the banks of the river 
are remarkable for their pastoral beauty, 
passing down from Woolwich Arsenal to 
Gravesend, and present a very pleasing 
continuation to the trip through the me- 
tropolis. At Twickenham we pass 
Pope's Grotto, and Strawberry Hill, the 
sham castle of Horace AValpole. Below 
Richmond extends KewPai-k, once famous 
as the farm where George III. used to play 
gentleman-farmer, and places of historical 
interest line its banks on both sides. 

The trip up the Thames to Chelsea, a 
distance of about five miles from West- 
minster Bridge, is also very interesting, 
passing Vauxhall Bridge, and several 



other fine structures, whilst the banks of 
the river continue all the way up lined 
with buildings. 

THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. 

Near Westminster Bridge, and nearly 
by the side of Westminster Abbey, are 
the Houses of Parliament, a grand Gothic 
structure, covering eight acres of ground. 
It may be called grand in its appearance, 
but is neither a handsome nor attractive 
structure. It is built of a reddish sand- 
stone blackened by the smoke of Lon- 
don. It has a river-front of nine hundred 
feet, raised upon a terrace of Aberdeen 
granite, and seems to spring almost out 
of the murky waters of the Thames. It 
has three towers, the Victoria being the 
largest, and a richly decorated belfry 
spire, rising to the height of three hun- 
dred and twenty feet. Various other 
subordinate towers, by their picturesque 
forms and positions, add materially to the 
effect of the whole building. Being 
Gothic, it is of course without pillars, but 
its walls are everj'where ornamented with 
statues and elaborate carving. 

The outside, when examined in detail, 
— and it can only be seen by piecemeal, — 
has a very disjointed appearance, and, ex- 
cept from the river, looks like anything 
but one continuous building. As a whole 
there is neither symmetry nor beauty 
about it, and it reminds one somewhat of 
the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, 
which has been styled " a convention of 
pepper-boxes." After entering a dreary, 
barn-like hall, called Westminster Hall, 
lighted by an immense stained-glass win- 
dow at the extreme end, with a Gothic 
roof, you pass into a series of narrow 
passage-ways and small chambers which 
lead into the House of Lords, everything 
appearing narrow and contracted, and 
lighted from above. The largest rooms 
that we encountered were the cloak-rooms ; 
and on entering the House of Lords this 
condensation of space strikes one who 
has been used to the Hall of the Ameri- 
can Congress as most remarkable. This 
chamber is a room forty-five feet wide, 
with ceiling of the same height, and 
about seventy feet long, with a narrow 
iron-railed gallery around it. About one- 
third of the length is taken up with a 
magnificent throne at one end, from which 
her Majesty delivers her annual message, 
and by the seats for the presiding offi- 
cers at the other end. No expense has 
been spared to make this the most 
splendid chamber in the world, but the 
architect, we think, failed in his purpose. 



286 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



Indeed, the decorations have been so pro- 
fusely piled together, and the hall is so 
small, that it is a difficult matter to exam- 
ine any one of them. The extreme height 
of the ceiling makes the chamber appear 
much smaller than it really is. The lords 
sit like boys in a country school-house, 
on long and broad benches, with backs 
covered with purple morocco and stuifed, 
one rising above the other, whilst the 
Lord Chancellor sits on a crimson sack, 
called the " woolsack." The lords have 
no desks nor anything to hoist their heels 
upon like our members of Congress, un- 
less it be on the shoulders of the noble 
lords sitting in long rows on the benches 
before them. The hall is said to be un- 
healthy ; and we should think it was 
when so closely packed with aristocratic 
humanity, and the only air to be breathed 
coming in from the surface of the Thames. 
The House of Commons is precisely of 
the same size, one hundred feet long, 
forty-five feet wide, and forty-five feet 
high. It is also gaudily decorated with 
paintings and statues, but is not much 
larger, and not half so comfortable, as 
that occupied by the House of Delegates 
at Annapolis. We admit the extreme 
verdancy that induced us, after walking 
through, to ask the attendant for what 
purpose it was used. It has six rows of 
high-backed benches on each side, ex- 
tending nearly the whole length of the 
hall, rising like the seats in a circus, one 
above the other, so that the feet of one 
member are necessarily somewhat near 
the coat-tail of the member before him. 
And this is the great House of Parlia- 
ment of England ! 

ENGLISH ladies' PECULIARITIES. 

We have some very critical companions 
with us, — connoisseurs in all the belong- 
ings and attractions of the gentler sex, — 
who are constantly calling attention to 
matters that might otherwise escape ob- 
servation. They have already come to 
the conclusion that the English ladies 
are unlovely about the feet. The foot is 
long, broad, and flat, the instep low, and 
the ankle devoid of gracefulness. The 
palpable defect of the English ladies in 
this respect, no matter how lovely they 
may be in form, feature, and carriage, is 
rendered more prominent by the lack of 
artificial skill on the part of the shoe- 
makers of her Majesty's dominions. 
Among the English ladies whom we 
have met in our travels, the fact was 
freely admitted, not only that American 
ladies excelled in their pedal attractions, 



but that American shoemakers knew 
how to adorn them to the best possible 
advantage. English shoes may be good 
for service, but they are undoubtedly 
less ornamental than useful, either in the 
fit or the decoration of the human foot. To 
be sure they have not much to encour- 
age them to aim at artistical effect in 
that direction, as their lady customers 
have no amliition to rival each other in 
any claim of superior excellence. All 
their feet seem to be of the same un- 
graceful shape, of the same length and 
breadth and flatness. What chance is 
there for the ambitious son of Crispin to 
distinguish himself in his profession, 
when the same last would suit nearly all 
his customers, and where it is scarcely 
deemed necessary for any one to get 
measured fur a pair of shoes ? However, 
the English girl makes up in her bright 
and beautiful complexion for her defects 
in foot and ankle. Perhaps it is due to 
the fact that she takes more exercise 
and delights in a freer use of her feet than 
her American sisters. 

At the organ-concert at Liverpool, our 
attention was called to the immense 
waterfalls worn by the English girls. 
They commence high up on the top of the 
head, and extend not onlj^ to the neck, 
but far down between the shoulders, be- 
ing at least two sizes larger than the 
largest we have ever seen on our side of 
the Atlantic. Anything more unnatural 
in appearance or unbecoming it would 
be impossible to conceive. They are 
gathered up in a knot, and look as solid 
as if they were bags stufi'ed with bran, 
or blown-up Ijladders covered with some- 
thing resembling the human hair. Other- 
wise the ladies were dressed with taste 
and neatness, but their heads were act- 
ually deformed by this unnatural ap- 
pendage. 

PECULIARITIES OF ENGLISHMEN. 

The Englishman dresses well, and gen- 
erally looks as if he had just come out of a 
bandbox. He still clings to his stove-pipe 
hat, and although he may travel in a felt 
hat or a Scotch cap, would as soon think 
of leaving home without a change of 
linen as without a hat-box. There are 
great loads of luggage constantly ar- 
riving at our hotel, and the ponderous 
leather hat-case, with its brass lock and 
key, accompanies every trunk, and at the 
depot the most earnest words of caution 
which one hears about luggage are gener- 
ally an exhortation to some porter to " be 
careful with me ''at-hox." So also you 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



2S7 



can scarcely meet an Englishman travel- 
ing who -will not recount to you how and 
where he lost his hat-box, with the addi- 
tional fact that it contained also some 
other valuables, from which it may be 
presumed that the thieves have discov- 
ered that the practice of carrying some- 
thing more valuable than a tile has 
induced the introduction of such formida- 
ble sole-leather brass-locked boxes. We 
shocked a gentleman by assuring him 
that hat-boxes had gone into disuse in 
America, and that a pile of baggage such 
as stood before us, festooned with hat- 
boxes, would create a decided sensation 
at any of our railroad-stations. On his 
expressing surprise that a gentleman 
would undertake to travel without his 
hat, we explained to him that pro- 
vision was made in our railroad-cars for 
gentlemen to hang up their hats, and that 
whilst in the car they could draw from 
their pocket a cap to ride in. "Well," he 
replied," we are behind the age in railroad- 
conveniences ; but you see how ' dem 
ridiculous' it Avould be for us to attempt 
to travel without a hat-box in our cars. 
They are thrown in among the trunks, 
and must necessarily be heavy and strong 
to stand the crush and protect their con- 
tents." 

ENGLISH ODDITIES. 

The other evening, whilst partaking of 
a "chop" in one of the London chop- 
houses, we heard a gentleman near us 
call for " a 'alf-go" of brandy, and, turn- 
ing to the bill of fare, we found a regular 
entry of rates, as follows : 
" A go" of brandy, . . One shilling. 
" A half-go" of brandy, . Sixpence. 
" A go" of whisky, . . Sixpence. 
" A half-go" of whisky, . Threepence. 

The same rate of measurement was 
also given for wine and gin. We sup- 
pose from the variation of price that a 
whole "go" must be a sufficiency to make 
an ordinary man drunk, as some persons 
require more for a " go" than others do. 



SCOTLAND. 
THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. 

RAPID TRAVELING. 

We left London at nine o'clock on a 
fine June morning, and, after a most de- 



of Edinburgh. The distance being four 
hundred and ten miles, we calculated that 
it would require at least twenty hours to 
accomplish it, and were altogether unpre- 
pared for such a rate of speed. The first 
eighty-two and a half miles were run in 
precisely two hours, being forty-one and 
a quarter miles per hour, though on some 
parts of the route, after we passed the 
borders of Scotland, in order to make up 
the time lost on the ascent of the hills, 
we Y^n fifty miles an hour. Only eleven 
hours were consumed in the whole trip, 
and one hour of this was lost in stopping 
for dinner, and at various stations, so that 
the average time for the whole distance 
was forty-one miles per hour. This is 
rather ahead of railroad travel in Amer- 
ica ; and it may not be amiss to remark 
here that whilst a visit to Europe is sure 
to make a man return a better American 
and more attached to his own institutions 
than when he left home, yet he is very 
apt to have some of his vanity abstracted, 
especially as to rapid traveling. 

SCENES ON THE ROUTE. 

The scenery through the North of 
England is very fine, and the agricultural 
appearance of the country cannot fail to 
attract the attention of the tourist. There 
is no waste land ; all is cultivated even 
down to the side of the track ; whilst the 
well-trimmed hedges add to the beauty 
of the scene. We passed within sight of 
Manchester, with its numerous factories, 
and dense smoke pouring from hundreds 
of tall chimneys, and the waters of the 
Irwell, the Irk, and the Medlock flowing 
through its centre, combining to make it 
the metropolis of manufactures. 

We arrived at Carlisle about five o'clock 
in the afternoon, a border town of Eng- 
land, three hundred miles from London, 
and soon after crossed the border into 
Scotland, having a full view of the 
famous Gretna Green, the resort of run- 
away matches in the " days of auld lang 
syne." It is a beautiful green level, with 
a little church on the banks of a creek 
that divides the two countries. After 
crossing the line and passing over the 
Cheviot Hills, there was not only a most 
marked change in the climate, but the 
country became barren and dreary, and 
that which was cultivated seemed to be 
chilled by the atmosphere. 

THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. 

On approaching Edinburgh, the first 



lightful railroad journey of eleven hours, point that strikes the eye is the top of an 
were snugly quartered in the Royal Hotel ' immense hill, known as " Arthur's Seat," 



288 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



towering above the roofs of its tall and 
massive houses, in the distance having 
the appearance and form of a monster 
lion sitting at his ease. Its summit is 
eight hundred and twenty-two feet aljove 
the level of the sea. It derives its name, 
as every student of history knows, fiom 
the fact that tradition designates it as the 
spot from which King Arthur looked 
down upon the scene of his victory over 
the Saxons. Immediately at the foot of 
this mountain is the famous Palace of 
Holyrood, the home of Mary Queen of 
Scots, which is frequently visited by 
Queen Victoria, when she may be seen 
every morning ascending to the top of 
Seat'on's Hill. 

We reached our quarters in Edinburgh 
precisely at eight o'clock in the evening, 
and after supper started for a walk, it be- 
ing still bright daylight, although the clock 
had already struck nine. We continued 
our perambulations until ten o'clock, and 
then it was only just dark, daylight last- 
ing in this latitude, at this season of the 
year, from half-past two in the morning 
until ten o'clock at night, there being 
only four and a half hours' partial dark- 
ness. At Inverness, in Scotland, there is 
said to be no darkness at all at the present 
season, the twilight of the evening con- 
tinuing until daylight in the morning. 

MONUMENT TO WALTER SCOTT. 

Edinburgh is a grand old city, filled 
with massive public buildings, of elegant 
architecture, and it is renowned for its 
monuments and charitable institutions, 
evincing a patriotism fy?d public spirit 
among its people which but few cities in 
Euroyje can boast of. The monument to 
Sir Walter Scott, which looms up in the 
square directly opposite the window at 
which we are writing, had no equal in 
London for grandeur and beauty of 
design before the erection of the great 
monument to Prince Albert. Indeed, 
that city of monuments, Paris, has nothing 
to compare with it in the way of monu- 
ments, so far as architectural beauty is 
concerned. It is built on a pediment of 
marble, about thirty feet each way, the 
lower portion of it being a double-flanked 
open arch, under which is the statue of 
Sir Walter Scott and his favorite dog 
Maida, in gray Carrara marble. It is a 
picturesque structure in the shape of an 
open spire, two hundred feet in height. 
Some idea of its ornn mental character 
may be formed from the fact that it 
has fifty-four niches reserved for statues 
of different impersonations in Sir Walter 



Scott's works. The four lower statues 
are, Prince Charles (from Waverley) draw- 
ing his sword, Meg Merrilies, the Lady of 
the Lake stepping from her boat, and 
the Last Minstrel. This monument was 
erected by subscription, at a cost of 
seventy-five thousand dollars. There are 
also statues and monuments in Edin- 
burgh to Burns, Chaides II., the Duke of 
Wellington, Duncan Forbes, the Duke of 
York, George IV., James Watt, Lord 
Melville, Jeffrey, Boyle, Blair, Dundas, 
Pitt, Queen Victoria, David Dickinson, 
Dugald Stewart, Nelson, and Professor 
Playfair. 

nelson's MONUMENT. 

Nelson's Monument is a grand affair, 
standing on Calton Hill, directly at the 
head of the city, but I'esembles more a 
light-house than a monument, or, as has 
been wittily remarked by an English 
writer, it looks like a Dutch skipper's 
spyglass partly opened. It is a massive 
brown-stone tower, one hundred and two 
feet in height, from the top of which a 
magnificent view of the city and sur- 
rounding country is obtained, having the 
Grampian Hills in the distance, on which 
young Norval's "father fed his flocks," 
and the Frith of Forth, whilst the whole 
harbor of Leith, with the bay, opens up 
to the eye of the spectator. Near the 
Nelson Monument is Avhat is called the 
National Monument, which was com- 
menced in 1822, and designed to com- 
memorate the gallant achievements of 
the Scotchmen who fell in the battle of 
Waterloo. It was intended to be a model 
of the Parthenon of Athens, but has never 
been completed, for want of funds. Lord 
Melville's column, surmounted by his 
statue, stands in the centre of the town, 
and is about one hundred and twenty 
feet high. The monument to Burns also 
stands near the Nelson Monument, and 
is quite an elegant affair, forming a small 
temple, surrounded by about twenty mar- 
ble pillars. 

The population of Edinburgh is over 
two hundred thousand, and the city is full 
of attractions. In the old portions of the 
city the lowest of the houses are five sto- 
ries, and some go as high as eleven and 
twelve stories, built of gray sandstone. 
In the new portions, which comprise all 
the business sections and the residences 
of the wealthier classes, the streets are 
broad, and the houses of most elegant 
construction, some of them displaying 
architectural merit of the highest order. 
The public buildings, which are quite nu- 



AMERICA A' SPE CTA CLES. 



289 



meroiis, ai-e truly elegant, and the churches 
are very fine. 

CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. 

There are probably more charitable in- 
stitutions, and of a higher grade, than in 
any other city of a similar population in 
the world. Geoi'ge Heriot's Orphans' 
Asylum, with its two hundred scholars, 
which we visited to-day, is almost as ex- 
tensive an establishment as that of Gi- 
rard in Philadelphia, especially as it has 
six or seven adjunct free schools, with 
over one thousand scholars, all supjjorted 
by the fund left by this worthy Scotch- 
man. Then there is Donaldson's Hos- 
pital, a similar institution, which gives 
instruction, clothing, and maintenance to 
one hundred and fifty boys, and a like 
number of girls, including ninety deaf 
and dumb of both sexes, with all the ne- 
cessary apartments for teachers and ser- 
vants. James Donaldson was a printer 
of Edinburgh, who died in 1830, leaving 
$1,050,0(_)0 for this institution. Then 
there is John Watson's Foundling Hos- 
pital, George Watson's Asylum for the 
daughters of decayed merchants, and the 
Merchant Maiden Hospital, for the edu- 
cation of the daughters and grand-daugh- 
ters of insolvent or deceased merchants. 
There is also Gillespie's Hospital, founded 
by the celebi'ated snuff-merchant of that 
name, for the reception of about forty- 
five men and women of forty-five years 
and upwards, which also has a free school 
attached to it for the education of about 
two hundred boys. Then there are a 
National Gallery and five extensive mu- 
seums all worthy of a visit. 

EDINBURGH NOTABLES. 

We must not omit to mention a most 
interesting spot visited to-day. the house 
of David Deans, the home of Jeanie 
Deans, celebrated in Scott's novel of " The 
Heart of Midlothian," which stands at 
the foot of Arthur's Seat. We also saw 
the house of Burke, the famous murderer 
of Edinburgh, who, it will be remembered, 
forty years or more ago killed, according 
to his own confession, nineteen persons, 
and sold their bodies to the doctors for 
dissection. Afterwards, when visiting the 
Museum of the College of Surgeons, we 
stood f:ice to face with the skeleton of the 
old rascal, which stands erect in one of 
the cases. 

The house in which the renowned John 
Knox, the great Reformer, was born, was 
also visited, as well as that in which he 
died, which is said to be the oldest in 



that section of the city. Here, it is said, 
he wrote a part, if not the whole, of his 
"History of the Reformation." An in- 
scription on the door runs thus : " Love 
God above all, and your neighbor as 
yourself." 

THE PALACE OF HOLYROOD. 

The greatest attraction in the city 
of Edinburgh is the Palace of Holyrood, 
from its connection with the sufl'erings 
and persecutions of that beautiful but un- 
fortunate woman, Mary Queen of Scots. 
Here is not only the room she occupied, 
but the bed she slept upon, the chairs, 
tables, work-stands, and even the work- 
basket she used, together with some 
specimens of needle-work executed by 
her own hands during her imprisonment. 
Here also is the Presence Chamber inwhich 
Queen Mary had the interview with John 
Knox which resulted in her conversion ; 
the dressing-room and the small apartment 
adjoining it, which has a secret stair lead- 
ing from the chapel to the palace, by 
which Darnley and his associates entered 
and assassinated her secretary Rizzio, on 
the charge that he was an emissary of the 
pope. This is by far the most interest- 
ing portion of the palace, and will ever 
remain so from its associations with the 
unfortunate Mary. Rizzio's blood still 
marks the floor at the head of the stairs, 
where his body was found with fifty-six 
wounds. These rooms, in which the fair 
and unfortunate queen dwelt and spent 
a good portion of her life, are well calcu- 
lated to carry back th^ mind of the spec- 
tator to the olden time. Their loneliness 
and desertion now strongly contrast with 
the brutal and atrocious murder that 
was perpetrated within their bounds. 
The chamber and dressing-room of Lord 
Darnley are also here, which have in 
them much of the furniture of the 
olden time, including a state bed on 
which Charles I. reposed when a resident 
of Holyrood. 

The chamber of Queen Mary is a room 
about twenty feet square. The ceiling is 
of carved oak, and the walls are hung 
with decayed tapestry illustrative of the 
mythological tale of the fall of Phaeton. 
The bed of Queen Mary stands here, 
the decayed hangings of which are of 
crimson damask, with green silk fringes 
and tassels, and the melancholy and 
faded aspect of the room is in admirable 
keeping with its tale of sorrow and of 
crime. 

The ruins of the old chapel royal, 
attached to the palace, in which Queen 



19 



\ 



290 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



Mary and Darnley were married, are 
also full of historical associations. Within 
these walls many of the kings and 
queens of Scotland were crowned ; here 
James II. was married to Mary of 
Gueldres, and James II J. to Margaret of 
Denmark ; this was the scene also of that 
high ceremonial at which the papal legate 
presented to James IV., in the name of 
Pope Julius II., a purple crown, and that 
richly-ornamented sword which, under 
the name of the " Sword of State," is still 
preserved among the regalia of Scotland ; 
and at the eastern extremity of the exist- 
ing church, under the great window, 
Mary, in an evil hour, plighted her troth 
to the foolish and dissipated Darnley. 

The southern wing of the palace has 
been elegantly fitted up for the use of 
Queen Victoria and the royal family, 
who make it a stopping-place on their 
way to the queen's private country-seat 
in the Highlands of Scotland, where she 
spends a few weeks every summer. 

We also visited the Castle of Edinburgh, 
and viewed the Scottish crown jewels, 
with the crown, sceptre, and sword of 
state. The eastern side of this castle 
was once a royal residence, and here is 
shown the room in which James VI., the 
only son of Mary Queen of Scots, was 
born, 19th of June, 1566, just three hun- 
dred and seven years ago. 

We were obliged to forego the pleasure 
of a visit to " Roslin's lovely glen," with 
its castle and chapel and romantic 
scenery, as well as to Abbotsford, and 
prepared for our departure for Glasgow, 
en route for Ireland. 

DEPARTURE FROM EDINBURGH. 

We left Edinburgh at eleven o'clock in 
the morning, by railroad, en route for Glas- 
gow, a distance of forty-five miles, which 
was accomplished in less than two hours. 
The country through which we passed 
was finely cultivated, and interspersed 
with neat cottages and all the evidences 
of industry and prosperity. The cultiva- 
tion was nearly equal to any we had seen 
in England, and there were better cottages, 
and more evidences of genuine home 
comforts among the tillers of the soil. 
As we approached Glasgow, the character 
of the buildings gradually improved, until 
the whole country was occupied in every 
direction with beautiful country villas, 
surrounded with all those evidences of 
taste, refinement, and wealth which gen- 
erally characterize rural neighborhoods 
near the large commercial cities of Amer- 
ica. 



THE CITY OF GLASGOW. 

We reached Glasgow at one o'clock, and, 
having but little time to spare for sight- 
seeing, we employed our time to the best 
possible advantage. Taking seats on the 
top of the first omnibus (the omnibuses 
everyM'here in Europe have seats on top, 
and carry more passengers outside than 
within), we had a fine view of the prin- 
cipal thoroughfares. To say that we were 
surprised at the extent, business charac- 
ter, and beauty of the city would but 
feebly express the feeling with which 
Glasgow inspires every stranger who 
visits it for the first time. He finds an 
immense commercial metropolis, with a 
population of over five hundred thousand 
souls, bustling with energy and activity, 
where he expected to find a second- or third- 
rate port. The main business streets of 
Glasgow will compare favorably with the 
most active portions of any of our com- 
mercial cities, not even excepting Wall 
Street or Broadway of New York, at the 
busiest seasons of the year. 

Forty years ago there were scores of 
towns within the limits of Great Britain 
that were superior to it in wealth, extent, 
and population. It has now no superior, 
if the precincts of Liverpool are excluded, 
with the exception of London. It is 
called " the Yankee city of Great Brit- 
ain," and has a larger population than 
Edinburgh, Dublin, Liverpool, or Man- 
chester, and combines within itself the 
commercial and manufacturing advan- 
tages possessed by the two last mentioned. 
Like Manchester, it is a city of tall chim- 
neys and daily increasing manufactures, 
and, like Liverpool, is a commercial port, 
trading extensively with every part of the 
known world, and is distinguished for the 
industry, perseverance, and intelligence 
of its inhabitants. 

The new portion of the city, which is 
rapidly spreading northwest of the ancient 
town, is distinguished for the architectu- 
ral beauty of its public and private build- 
ings, and the length, breadth, and elegance 
of its streets, squares, and crescents. The 
motto upon the city arms is '■'■Let Glasgow 
Flourish,'" and it seems to be the determi- 
nation of her people that she shall con- 
tinue to flourish and prosper, if it is pos- 
sible for united energy, perseverance, 
industry, and frugality to accomplish such 
a purpose. 

When Bailie Nicol Jarvie, and his 
worthy father the deacon, "praise to his 
memory," lived in Glasgow, before the 
American Revolution, it was a great 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



291 



place for the tobacco-trade, but since 1792 
cotton and iron have largely engaged the 
attention of its enterprising population. 

The river Clyde passes through the 
city, and is spanned by some fine stone 
bridges, five hundred feet long and sixty 
feet wide. The city is located on a level, 
four or five miles square, chiefly on the 
north side of the river. On the south 
side the great manufacturing districts are 
principally located. Its port is the open 
river, lined by nolile quays above, and so 
much improved that first-class ships, which 
formerly had to stop at Port Glasgow, 
eighteen miles lower down, can now come 
up to the city, the river having been deep- 
ened so that where it was formeidy ford- 
able there is now twenty feet of water. 
The work of excavation is always pro- 
gressing, and the earth, taken from the 
bed of the river by numerous mud-ma- 
chines, has been used to fill up the marshes 
and form uniform walled embankments 
to a distance of ten miles down below the 
present city limits. 

There is a magnificent park on the 
northern borders of the city, surroui^led 
by pi'ivate residences that will compare 
favorably with those of our Mount Ver- 
non Square. Numerous monuments and 
statues adorn various sections of the city, 
expressing the national pride and loyalty 
of its citizens. 

TRIP DOWN THE CLYDE. 

At five o'clock in the afternoon we em- 
barked on a steam ferry-boat for Greenock, 
a city of considerable and growing im- 
portance, located on the Clyde, twenty 
miles below Glasgow. But for the stench 
arising from the waters of the river, 
which is more offensive than that from 
the Thames, the trip would have been a 
most agreeable one. The boat was 
thronged with passengers, and, as none 
of them seemed in the least discomfited 
by this peculiarity of the stream, we 
came to the conclusion that it is not im- 
possible to become accustomed to any- 
thing, however offensive or displeasing to 
the senses, — even to the odor from our 
" Basin" at Baltimore. The trip was, 
however, one of great interest, not only 
on account of the business activity ob- 
servable along the banks of the river, but 
for the fine display of villas and country- 
seats, with their gardens, groves, and 
beautiful surroundings. 

The river Clyde has become ftimous all 
over the world for the manufacture of 
iron steamers and ships along its shores, 
the term " Clyde-built" being familiar as 



a household word. Whilst so many have 
been constructed to navigate other Avaters, 
an immense number are employed in the 
trade of the river. On our passage down 
we could not have passed less than thirty 
or forty small-class iron steamships going 
towards Glasgow, being regular packets 
trading with different ports on the coasts 
of Ireland, Scotland, and England. Not- 
withstanding the general depression in 
ship-building, there is still considerable 
activity in the yai'ds along the Clyde, the 
number of large-class vessels we passed 
in the course of construction being not 
less than one hundred. There were also 
numerous large-class side-wheel iron 
steamers lying at the wharves of Glas- 
gow, receiving the finishing touch of the 
machinist. 

THE CITY OF GREENOCK. 

We reached the port of Greenock about 
six o'clock, and, as the steamer for Belfast 
did not leave until dark, which in this 
latitude at this season means ten o'clock 
at night, we availed ourselves of the op- 
portunity to take a bird's-eye view of the 
city. Greenock is a city of not less than 
thirty thousand inhabitants, built on the 
side of a hill, with a fine harbor, in which 
were floating several large three-deck 
frigates of war, besides an old hulk used 
as a receiving-ship. There were also a 
large number of merchant-vessels and 
steamers at the wharves ; and Greenock 
may undoubtedly be considered as a pros- 
perous seaport. 



IRELAND. 
CITY OF BELFAST. 

We left Greenock at ten o'clock at night 
for a short trip on the Atlantic, and 
reached Belfast, in Ireland, before day- 
light next morning. Having good berths, 
we were soon oblivious to the rolling of 
the sea, and, like the man in the mill, 
woke up as soon as the machinery had 
ceased its motion, in the harbor of Bel- 
fast. 

The train of cars for Dublin not leaving 
until ten o'clock, we had four or five 
hours for breakfast and in which to view 
the city, which we made the best possible 
use of. 

Belfast is the chief seat of the Irish 
linen-trade, and, though ranking the sec- 
ond port in Ireland, it is the first so far 



292 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



as trade and manufactures are concerned. 
The tall chimneys and factories for spin- 
ning linen and cotton yarn are conspicu- 
ous everywhere. Few cities in Europe 
have progressed so rapidly as that of Bel- 
fast, the population having, in the course 
of thirty years, increased from thirty- 
three thousand to nearly one hundred and 
fifty thousand. The general appearance 
of the town is that of a clean, thrifty 
l)usiness place, with the trade and manu- 
factures of Glasgow or Manchester, but 
without the smoke and dirt of either. 
The buildings are good, and many of the 
streets very regular and wide, especially 
towards the interior of the town. 

The flax-mills naturally attract the 
visitor's attention. They are situated in 
all parts of the town. The interminable 
hum of myriads of spindles, and the sub- 
dued sound of the machinery, together 
with the light and airy appearance of 
the rooms and quiet and orderly behavior 
of the hands employed, appear at first 
sight to be an entirely new feature in 
Ireland. The first spinning-factory was, 
however, established in 18U6, whilst the 
mills now number over one hundred, 
with no less than one million spindles 
in operation, representing nearly six mil- 
lions sterling of capital. The firm of 
Mulhollands employ over one thousand 
hands. 

The population of Belfast is about one 
hundred and fifty thousand, nearly one- 
half of whom are Presbyterians, the Ro- 
man Catholics being very few. The 
churches of Belfast are enumerated as 
follows : Presbyterians, fourteen ; Episco- 
palians, seven ; Roman Catholics, three ; 
Unitarians, three ; besides chapels for 
Methodists, Friends, Independents, Cove- 
nanters, and other sects, in all more than 
fifty houses of worship. 

The harbor of Belfast is one of the 
finest in the United Kingdom, and its 
commerce is improving and increasing as 
rapidly as its manufactures. 

TRIP TO GALWAY. 

Before proceeding with our narrative 
of travel from Belfast to Dublin, we will 
anticipate somewhat, and give a brief no- 
tice of a trip to Galway. ' N. P. Willis, 
in recording his visit to Galway, speaks 
of the universality of red petticoats, and 
the same brilliant color in most other 
articles of female dress, which give a for- 
eign aspect to the population, and prepare 
you somewhat for the completely Italian 
or Spanish look of the streets. It is a 
quaint and peculiar city, with antiquities 



such as can be nowhere else met with in 
Ireland. The older portion of the city is 
throughout of Spanish architecture, with 
wide gateways, broad stairs, and all the 
fantastic ornaments calculated to carry 
the imagination back to Granada and 
Valencia. The monks, the churches, 
and the convents, also give to the town 
a complete Roman Catholic appearance, 
whilst the population of the adjoining 
country have preserved something of the 
picturesque national costume of their an- 
cestors, (lalway was at one time a port hav- 
ing considerable commercial intercourse 
with Spain, and many of the grandee mer- 
chants located here. The richer mer- 
chants of the town also made periodical 
visits to Spain, and returned with Spanish 
luxuries and Spanish ideas, and very fre- 
quently with Spanish wives. The result 
was that mansions in the Spanish style 
arose, and were tilled with Spanish fur- 
niture, whilst the ladies sported in their 
dresses the highest colors and light tex- 
tures of Spain. 

This was, huwever, some three hundred 
yea^ ago, and the palaces of the merchant- 
princes are now occupied as stables or 
drinking-houses. After years of decline, 
Galway is commencing to revive in busi- 
ness importance, and there is now a pros- 
pect of its regaining its ancient standing. 
It has a population of nearly fifty thousand, 
and with a fine bay and harbor, and sur- 
rounded by a rich agricultural region, 
there is no reason why it should not emu- 
late Belfast. The principal articles of 
trade are fish and marble. The govern- 
ment has erected an elegant stone custom- 
house and post-office, and there is every- 
where evidence of fostering aid in the 
efibrt to restore the ancient prosperity of 
the town. 

The country in this section of Ireland 
is poorly cultivated, whilst the adobe and 
mere mud cabins of the peasantry show 
the improvident character of the inhab- 
itants. 



THE CITY OF DUBLIN. 

IRISH WAYSIDE SCENES. 

We reached this ancient city, the capi- 
tal of Ireland, yesterday, after a very 
pleasing railroad-ride from the city of 
Belfast, the distance being one hundred 
and twenty-seven miles, passing through 
the counties of Antrim, Down, Armagh, 
Louth, Meath, and Dublin, To say that 
we were pleased with the general aspect 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



293 



of the country would but poorly express 
our first impression. If all portions of 
Ireland presented as many evidences of 
industry, frugality, and fine cultivation, 
we imagine that there would be less emi- 
gration, and less complaint among the 
people. 

The houses of the farmers are gener- 
ally of stone, rough-cast, and as white 
as snow, with beautiful gardens, arbors, 
and bowers, whilst the surrounding fields 
are generally small, and divided by hedge- 
rows, neatly trimmed, and presenting 
as fine a view from the road-side as can 
be found in either England or Scotland. 
The trees are much larger, and more 
like those of America than any we have 
seen in Europe, and indeed the climate as 
well as the general aspect of the country 
so closely resembled " home" tbat we 
could scarcely realize that we were trav- 
eling through Ireland. The impression 
produced on the mind by the wholesale 
emigration from Ireland leads us to look 
for evidences of squalid misery, a cheer- 
less and barren soil, and a cold inhos- 
pitable climate ; instead of which we were 
flying through a country that would com- 
pare favorably with any within twenty 
miles of Baltimore, not only in its natu- 
ral advantages, but in the general evi- 
dences of good husbandry and the thrift 
and industry of its inhabitants. 

We passed on the route the ruins of 
several old castles and round towers, dis- 
tinguished in the feudal history of Ire- 
land, with quite a number of thriving 
towns, cities, and villages. The raanu- 
factui-e of Irish linen is extensively pur- 
sued in this section of Ireland, and acres 
of it we noticed spread out to bleach in 
the neighborhood of all the towns. We 
occasionally passed through some of the 
bog-districts, in which large forces of 
men wei-e engaged in digging turf and 
spreading it out to dry in the sun, to be 
prepared for fuel, whilst others were dig- 
ging ditches and draining, preparatory 
to restoring large tracts of waste-land to 
agricultural purposes. 

THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE. 

The river Boyne is crossed near the 
spot where the celebrated battle was 
fought between the Prince of Orange 
and his father-in-law, James II., in which 
the Irish forces, under the latter, were 
routed by the English, when their leader 
fled to France. All historians agree in 
estimating the character of James as a 
man without foresight, decision, or even 
principle. Nevertheless, James sought 



to throw the blame of the whole defeat 
on the Irish. On arriving at the Castle 
of Dublin, history relates that he met 
the Lady Tyrconnell, a woman of ready 
wit, to whom he exclaimed, " Your coun- 
trymen, the Irish, madam, can run very 
fast, it must be owned.'' " In this, as in 
every other respect, yo*ur Majesty sur- 
passes them, for you have won the race," 
was the apt and ready-witted rebuke 
which the lady administered to his dis- 
comfited Majesty. 

We reached Dublin about three o'clock 
in the afternoon, and were soon tolerably 
quartered at the Royal Arcade Hotel, 
College Green, facing the Bank of Ire- 
land, formerly the Irish Parliament- 
House. 

DUBLIN BEAUTIES. 

We have spent a couple of days very 
agreeably in the capital of Ireland, and 
have been much pleased both with the 
city and its people. The first thing that 
strikes the stranger in Dublin as most 
remarkable is the fine appearance of 
the men and the mai-ked beauty of the 
women. In this respect Dublin undoubt- 
edly surpasses any city in the United 
Kingdom. The men are well formed, 
solid, substantial, and healthy in appear- 
ance, and dress with excellent taste. The 
ladies are also of fine form and feature, 
with ruddy countenances, and dress with 
taste and neatness. Indeed, there is an 
entire absence here of the stereotyped 
form and feature that distinguish such a 
lai'ge portion of the natives of the Emerald 
Isle who come to the United States. We 
have among us, it is true, many fine speci- 
mens of the Irish gentleman, such as are 
to be seen in Dublin, but an American 
will meet with more persons in Baltimore 
or New York Avhom he can recognize at 
a glance as Irish than he will meet with 
in the streets of Dublin. 

Dublin has been styled by some travel 
ers the " City of Beggars," but a great 
change must have taken place in this re- 
spect, for we could discover no foundation 
for the appellation. Every part of the 
city was explored, and fewer beggars 
were encountered than in the streets of 
London, M^hilst there was a delightful 
contrast in this respect to Naples or Rome. 
There has no doubt been a great improve- 
ment in the social condition of Ireland 
within a few years. 

THE CAPITAL OF IRELAND. 

The city of Dublin is undoubtedly a 
very beautiful and attractive city, the 



294 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



pride of every Irishman at home or 
abroad. It is the seat of learnino;, wealth, 
and refinement, is full of evidences of a 
high state of civilizatidu, and is a per- 
petual monument in refutation of the un- 
favorable impression which the character 
of a j)ortion of the emigrants from Ire- 
land has created in America. Here is 
the home of the true Irish gentleman, 
with public and private buildings, squares, 
and parks, some of its streets being un- 
rivaled even by those of London. In 
proportion to the size of the two cities, 
Dublin is built in a better style, and ar- 
chitectural skill and good taste are more 
generally exhibited. 

The river Lififey passes through the 
centre of the city, and is spanned by eight 
very fine stone bridges, which add con- 
siderably to the beauty of the place. The 
city is located only a mile from the en- 
trance of the river into the fine Bay of 
Dublin, giving it commercial advantages 
w^iich, as the surrounding country im- 
proves, must add greatly to its wealth and 
importance. The environs of the city on 
the south and west are very fine. A lofty 
range of hills, covered with the villas 
and country residences of Avealthy citi- 
zens, surrounded by finely-cultivated gar- 
dens extending southwardly to the coast, 
interspersed with well-cultivated low- 
lands, presents a beautiful panoramic view 
from every elevated position in the city. 
Sackville Street, nearly two hundred feet 
in width, is spread out to the north, with 
its noble column to Nelson, its ranges of 
lofty and elegant buildings, the Ionic 
portico of the post-office, and its throngs 
of pedestrians and vehicles presenting a 
combination of attractions that can scarce- 
ly be found elsewhere. Westmoreland 
Street opens to the south, with the Corinth- 
ian portico of Trinity College at its head, 
and the massive architectural structure 
occupied by the Bank of Ireland to the 
right. 

The view from this point up the Lifiey 
to the w^est discloses a series of heavy 
stone bridges and some suspension foot- 
bridges that will compare favorably with 
those of London ; the interminable range 
of lofty buildings, and the massive granite 
walls which inclose the banks of the 
river, also give a picturesque aspect to 
the view. To the east, below Carlisle 
Bridge, there is presented a forest of 
masts and funnels of steamers, with lofty 
■warehouses ; whilst the majestic front of 
the custom-house overlooks the stream 
from the left as it expands towards the 
bay. 



TRINITY COLLEGE. 

The public edifices of Dublin are all 
distinguished for their solid architectural 
beauties, and are most favorably located 
for the embellishment of the city. Trinity 
College, which is in the very heart of the 
city, has buildings and accommodations 
superior to those of any institution of 
learning in Europe, excepting only Ox- 
ford and Cambridge. The buildings are 
all constructed of granite, and are ar- 
ranged in three separate quadrangles, 
leaving an open court in the centre, not 
less than three hundred feet in width, and 
six or seven hundred feet in length. At- 
tached to the college is a park of twenty- 
five acres, for the recreation of numerous 
students. 

The library of the college is said to contain 
over three hundred thousand volumes, ar- 
ranged in a room two hundred and twenty 
feet long and over forty feet in breadth. 
Many valuable manuscripts are also con- 
tained in the library, and among these a 
Latin copy of the Gospels, known as the 
Book of Kells, attributed to Saint Co- 
lumba, who lived in the sixth century. 
The Museum of Natural History is vei-y 
large, and embraces a most valuable col- 
lection, with many curiosities. Among 
the latter is the harp of Brian Boroimhe, 
and the old charter-horn of King O'Kava- 
nagh. 

PH(ENIX PARK, ETC. 

Phoenix Park is the Hyde Park of 
Dublin, and as the resort of the beauty 
and ilite of the metropolis, as well as for 
its extent, will compare favorably with 
the latter, whilst St. Stephen's Green, 
Merion Square, Mountjoy Square, etc., 
combine to add greatly to the beauty 
and health of the city. Phoenix Park 
covers an area of upwards of seventeen 
hundred and fifty-two acres,, and is 
well shaded with ancient native forest- 
trees, interspersed with trees of other 
climes. The whole park is inclosed with 
a stone wall, and aifords such a pleasure- 
ground as few cities in the world can 
equal. It is open to all who may choose 
to ride, drive, or walk through it. Smooth 
roads traverse it in every direction, and 
ravines in their native wildness, entangled 
with furze and hawthorn, and green plots, 
with walks and blooming flowers, com- 
bine to make it a lovely scene. Deer are 
plentiful, and, as in other public gardens, 
they are frequently caressed by visitors, 
being very tame and docile. 

In the midst of the park is a quad- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



295 



rangular obelisk, erected at a cost of 
one hundred thousand doHars, in 1817, 
by contribution, to testify the esteem of 
the citizens of Dublin for the Duke of 
Wellington as a military commander. 
Here also are the palatial mansions of the 
Lord Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary 
of Ireland, an institutiun for the educa- 
tion of sons of soldiers, and many neat 
little lodges for the porters and keepers. 
There is also in the park a Zoological 
Garden, with a small collection of ani- 
mals. 

THE TOMB OF O'CONNELL. 

The stranger in Dublin seldom fails to 
pay a visit to the tomb of Daniel O'Con- 
nell, in the cemetery out Sackville Street, 
beyond the city limits. This " home of 
the dead" occupies a space of about nine 
acres, but, being a level plot of ground, it 
lacks that picturesque effect which is gen- 
erally secured in the location of our ceme- 
teries. The attention paid to the graves 
of deceased friends and relatives is, how- 
ever, a feature peculiar to Irish ceme- 
teries that cannot fail to attract attention. 
AYidows, mothers, sisters, and daughters 
may be seen wending their way, with 
little Ijaskets of fresh flowers, to the 
graves of their hopes and their loves, and 
with tearful eyes strewing them over the 
sod, or hanging the stones and monuments 
with wreaths and garlands. In winter, 
wreaths of never-fading flowers are sub- 
stituted, of yellow, pink, and blue, with 
a cross of solemn black suspended. 

Shortly after entering the gate a finger- 
board is observed, with the words, " To 
the tomb of O'Connell," which leads you 
to about the centre of the grounds. 
Above the gate is the word "O'Connell," 
in gilt letters. Looking through the dnoi-, 
the crimson coffin of the great " agitator" 
is exposed to view under a canopy. The 
number of Irishmen who daily visit this 
tomb is incredible, and it is a touching 
sight to see many a poor pilgrim, with a 
crownless hat, raise his shabby " tile" 
and exclaim, "Poor Dan!" The coffin 
was strewn with flowers, thrown through 
the railing by visitors, and it is said that 
even in the depth of winter the bright 
camellias and arbutus are brought by the 
pilgrims from the country to be strewn 
around his bier. 

The remains of Tom Steele are also 
deposited in this mound, close to those of 
O'Connell, whose self-denying devotion 
to the fortunes of the great leader pro- 
cured for him the sobriquet of " Honest 
Tom Steele," which is the simple inscrip- 



tion on his vault. Like the inscription 
of " rare Ben Jonson !" in Westmin- 
ster Abl)ey, it was often used while he 
lived, and is therefore less like flattery 
now he is dead. 

THE IRISH JINGLE. 

One of the peculiar features of Dublin 
that attracts the stranger's eye on reach- 
ing the city is the "jaunting-cars," or 
"jingles," as they are sometimes called, 
which take the place of cabs, and with 
which he must make his first acquaintance 
in proceeding to his hotel. They are so 
unlike any other vehicle, with the excep- 
tion of having round wheels, that it is 
almost impossible to describe them. They 
are full with four passengers and the 
driver, will hold eight very well, and may 
be considered crowded with twelve. The 
seats are sideways, and extend in a series 
of steps over the wheels of the vehicle, 
Avhilst the driver is perched up in front. 
When he has but one passenger he takes 
a side-seat, to balance the weight on the 
springs. They are quite pleasant to 
ride in when one gets used to them, and 
for a frolic there could be nothing more 
suitable. A stranger looking at one of 
these vehicles rushing past with a full 
load expects to see them slide oil' in the 
street at every bound, and rather wonders 
that they are not " spilled out" at the first 
corner they turn. They are, however, very 
safe, and are used by ladies as well as 
gentlemen. We noticed some very fine 
vehicles of this sort moving about, evi- 
dently used as private family-carriages. 

There are a number of fine churches in 
Dublin, but, having visited so many in 
Italy, we were rather surfeited with this 
species of sight-seeing. Like all public 
buildings in Dublin, their exteriors are 
very fine in architectural display, and 
they are said to contain some excellent 
paintings and statuary. 

THE POLICE OF IRELAND. 

Wherever you go in England, Ireland, 
or Scotland, the police are the admiration 
of the stranger. They seem to he every- ^ 
where the same class of men, all dressed 
in the same uniforms, each of the required 
height of six feet, drilled to walk erect 
with a military step, and to maintain an 
air of respectability and authority that 
gives character to them in the commu- 
nity. They are dressed in blue swallow- 
tailed coats, and pants of the same color, 
the coat being buttoned up to the throat 
with metal buttons. Their hats are of 
fur with oil-cloth tops, the number being 



296 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



displayed on the hat-band in silver figures. 
The fact of their being all of uniform 
height, and erect, manly carriage, shows 
that they are picked men, none of them 
seeming to be over firty j'ears of age or 
under thirty. They are never seen with- 
out white cotton gloves on, or with the 
slightest evidence of negligence in dress or 
personal appearance. These oiEcials move 
a'jQutwith their cleanly-shaved faces and 
neat appearance like so many walking 
statues, always alert in the performance 
of duty, and when they have occasion to 
interfere it is with a voice and air of au- 
thority that no one would dare to dispute. 
To the stranger their services are invalu- 
able, as, with the politeness of a Chester- 
field, they are always ready to impart 
whatever information may be required, 
or direct him to pass on to the next officer, 
who will point out the locality he is in 
search of. 

This efficient organization grows out of 
the fact that a police-officer is never re- 
moved except for neglect of duty, and is 
promoted for good conduct. They enter 
on their duties with this assurance, and 
regard it as a permanent means of liveli- 
hood. They are not liable to removal for 
any political or personal cause, and each 
man is held to his good behavior and the 
faithful performance of duty as essential 
to the retaining of his position. There 
is no suspension or other half-way meas- 
ure for the unfaithful officer, — a prompt 
discharge following the slightest neglect 
of the rules laid down for his government. 
Sometimes they are transferred from one 
city to another, the police of the whole 
kingdom being under one government, 
which is as strict in its discipline and as 
stringent in its enforcement of rules as if 
it were a military organization. In fixct, 
it combines all the power of both a civil 
and military force, and has done away in 
a great measure with the necessity of a 
purely military force in large cities. 



THE CITY OF CORK. 

We arrived at Queenstown, and were 
soon quartered at Kilmurry's Hotel. 
With dirty linen and cat-tail beds to sleep 
upon, we fared poorly in that respect, but 
the mountain salmon and trout, excellent 
bread, and genuine Irish welcome, make 
some recompense for such deficiencies. It 
is a singular fact that we have had good 
clean beds everywhere in our journey- 



ings except in Old Ireland, which is so 
famous for the skill of its washerwomen 
away from home. It may therefore be 
presumed that all the good ones have 
emigrated. The beds are like lying on a 
mass of soft clay ; when one impression is 
made \f is folly to attempt to make an- 
other indentation. If you take a position 
on the side of the bed its contents will all 
slip from under you, and form a solid 
heap on the other side as hard as a bank 
of sand. 

THE COVE OF CORK. 

The Cove of Cork, or, as it is now called, 
Queenstown, is undoubtedly a most beau- 
tiful spot, i-esembling an Italian town. 
Being built on the side of a mountain, 
the roofs of the houses on the lower tier 
are about on a level with the cellar- 
floors of those on the next tier or street 
above, which are approached by winding 
streets. It has a southern aspect, and its 
descent to the harbor prevents its streets 
from ever being muddy or dirty. The 
houses, some of them very fine, are all 
built of stone, and are white rough-cast. 
A most picturesque view can be obtained 
from the heights above the magnificent 
harbor, which is probably the most ex- 
tensive and commodious in the United 
Kingdom, being capable of affording 
shelter to the entire British navy. The 
harbor, the entrance to which is not a 
half-mile in width, forms a circular 
basin, about five miles in diameter. The 
tops of the lofty hills at the entrance are 
capped with immense fortresses of great 
strength. There are also within this im- 
mense harbor four small islands, though 
Queenstown is itself an island, a branch 
of the river Lee completely surrounding it 
on its western side. Spike Island is most 
conspicuous, and is used as a convict- 
depot, with accommodations for two thou- 
sand prisoners, who are employed in 
various ways. Rocky Island is next, 
and contains the powder-magazine, which 
occupies six chambers excavated in the 
solid rock. It usually contains about ten 
thousand barrels of gunpowder, besides 
other species of ammunition. Directly 
opposite Rocky Island is Ilawlboline 
Island, which contains the ordnance stores, 
an armory, and a fresh-water tank capable 
of holding five thousand tuns. 

The Cove of Cork is said to be the most 
healthy spot in the United Kingdom, and 
is mainly sustained by the throng of 
invalids and their families who resort 
here during the summer season, to enjoy 
the bathing, the bracing atmosphere, and 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



297 



the beautiful scenery with which it is 
surrounded for many miles. Tlie hills 
above the town are also covered with 
hundreds of delightful cottages, with 
beautiful gardens, many of which are 
permanently occupied by invalids from 
England. 

THE RITER LEE. 

We proceeded in the steamer at nine 
o'clock on Friday morning for a trip to 
Cork, and a visit to Blarney Castle and 
the Blarney Stone of Old Ireland. 

Cork River, or the river Leo, enters into 
the harbor of Queenstown by a sudden 
turn of its southern extremity, in which 
direction the steamer proceeded, and the 
mouth of the river had scarcely been 
turned before the scene that was presented 
to the vision drew forth an exclamation of 
surprise and admiration. Let the reader 
imagine that he is viewing the most at- 
tractive spot on the North River, where 
the hills on either side are finely culti- 
vated and clothed with the richest ver- 
dure, Avhilst their sides are dotted with 
elegant and picturesque mansions. The 
fields on the hill-sides are generally 
small, and divided by hedges and thickets, 
smoothly trimmed, the gardens laid out 
with artistic skill, and the skirts of the 
stream down to the water's edge in full 
cultivation. For fourteen miles, the dis- 
tance to Cork, the whole route is one 
perpetual variety of beautiful scenery, 
and no part is barren or uninteresting. 
It possesses all the charms of the most 
romantic landscape, and whilst gazing on 
one scene the eye is imperceptibly carried 
by the motion of the steamer to another 
that exceeds it in beauty and novelty. 

THE CITY OF CORK. 

As we approached the city of Cork, 
famous as the home of the most shrewd 
and witty of the sons of Erin, the villas 
on the banks of the river became more 
attractive and picturesque. Monkstown 
Castle, an elegant ruin, built in 1636, by 
the wife of John Archdeken, during the 
absence of her husband whilst serving in 
the army of Philip of Spain, is visible 
from the river. She determined to sur- 
prise him with a noble residence which 
he might call his own. She purchased 
provisions, so the story runs, by wholesale, 
and retailed them out to the country-peo- 
ple, and upon balancing her accounts it 
appeared that the retail profit had paid for 
the castle except fourpence. Hence the 
common saying that " Monkstown Castle 
was built for a groat." 

Some portions of the city are quite 



beautiful, with broad streets and elegant 
houses, whilst others present a squalid 
and dirty appearance. Distilleries are 
in abundance, drinking-shops and taverns 
in excess, and, as an evidence of the des- 
titution and improvidence which prevail 
among a portion of its inhabitants, we 
were informed that there are no less than 
thirty-three licensed pawnbrokers doing 
a thriving business. The city has about 
seventy thousand inhabitants, and there 
are few towns in Ireland that can boast 
so wide a range of ably-supported bene- 
volent and charitable institutions, includ- 
ing hospitals, infirmaries, loan-societies, 
and saving-institutions. The insane- 
asylum is a most extensive and elegant 
structure. The Queen's College is also 
a beautiful structure, under the charge 
of three deans, one an Episcopalian, one 
a Presbyterian, and one a Catholic. 

THE IRISH JAUNTING-CAR. 

Our party having secured a number of 
Irish "jaunting-cars," we soon made a 
rapid survey of the city of Cork, and 
were moving at full speed on our way to 
the famous world-reno\Yned Blarney Cas- 
tle and its '* Blarney Stone." A "jaunt- 
ing-car" is an indescribable vehicle, pe- 
culiarly Irish, but quite a comfortable 
mode of conveyance. Though very se- 
cure, it has when filled with passengers — 
and the number it will hold is indefinite — 
quite a rollicking and frolicking appear- 
ance. To a spectator unaccustomed to 
the sight, when flying along the street, a 
general spilling out of the party might be 
anticipated at every lurch, as it has no 
back or sides, and the principal seats are 
on shelves projecting over the wheels ; 
but it is withal so comfortable and secure 
that, although a number of our party were 
ladies, they enjoyed the trip very much. 
As a matter of course, such a conclave 
of strangers driving at full speed attracted 
considerable attention, but we were soon 
outside of corporate limits, wending our 
way through a beautiful country, profuse 
in vegetation, and tolerably well culti- 
vated, where our gay and dashing appear- 
ance attracted the farmer from his lal)or, 
frightened the horses, startled the children 
from the mud-puddles they were playing 
in at the road-sides, and lirought out from 
the farm-houses and whisky-caljins their 
tenants to see the " wi-ecked Americans," 
as we were styled by the car-drivers. 

BLARNEY CASTLE. 

The road to Blarney Castle, which is 
located about five miles from the city, has 



298 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



numerous ascents, being so steep at times 
that it was necessary to relieve the horses 
by walking; but we finally reached the 
Lake of Blarney, a beautiful sheet of 
water a mile in circumference, about a 
quarter of a mile I)eyoncl which the square 
turret of Blarney Castle could be seen rear- 
ing its dreary height. A circuitous drive of 
about a mile brought us to the farm on 
which the ruin stands, when we had a 
specimen of "blarney" from the dame 
at the gate, th;it proved her proficiency 
in this Corkonian accomplishment. 

We were soon roaming through the 
spacious ruins of Blarney Castle, which 
was built in the year 1449, by Cormack 
McCarty, Earl of Clancarty, who was 
first summoned to Parliament as Baron 
of Blarney, in the year 1458. The castle, 
as history tells us, was held for James 
II., and stood out a severe siege against 
the forces of the Prince of Orange. A 
battery was finally placed on an elevated 
position, which compelled them to sur- 
render the castle. The main turret and 
tower is one hundred and twenty feet, 
and the stone circular stairway to its ex- 
treme height is still in an excellent state 
of preservation. Its walls, inside and out, 
are overrun to their extreme height with 
woodbine and ivy, adding interest and 
beauty to the ruins. 

THE BLARNEY STONE. 

Near the top of the wall of this castle 
is the famous " Blarney Stone." A curi- 
ous tradition attributes to it the power of 
endowing whoever kisses it with the 
sweet, persuasive, wheedling eloquence 
so perceptible in the language of the peo- 
ple of Cork, and which is generally termed 
" blarney," — which has been described by 
some ill-natured person as " a faculty of 
deviating from veracity with an unblush- 
ing countenance whenever it may be con- 
venient." The stone generally pointed 
out as the '' real stone" is situated on the 
top of the building, and, besides a sculp- 
tured trefoil, bears the date 1703. Cro- 
ker"s favorite song of the " Groves of 
Blarney" made this stone famous, and it 
is annually viewed by thousands of tour- 
ists, for, as the song says, 

" There is a stone there. 
That whoever kisses, 
Oh ! he never misses 
To grow eloquent. 
Don't hope to hinder him, 
Or to bewilder him ; 
Sure he's a pilgrim 
From the blarney stone." 

THE GROVES OF BLARNEY. 

The grounds around the castle are still 



very beautiful and romantic, but the 
beauty has been gradually diminishing, 
and its walks are choked up with rubbish. 
Close at hand, however, are the famous 
" Groves of Blarney :" 

" 'Tis there's the daisy, 
And the sweet cai nation, 
The blooming pink, 
And the ruse so fair; 
The daffadowndilly. 
Likewise tlie lily. 
All flowers that .-cent 
The sweet fragrant air." 

These are kept in good condition, and 
present a wild and pleasing scene, with 
the Druids' Cave, in which tradition says 
tluit sacrificial ofl'erings were made by the 
last of these ancient people. 

AN IRISH RACE. 

On our return to Cork our drivers, 
either excited by blarney whiskey, or 
having gained new life from a sight of 
the stone, started off at full speed, and 
M^e had a regular Irish race, each endeav- 
oring to pass the other on the road. The 
younger passengers joined in the sport, 
and cheered as each successively passed 
the other, encouraging the drivers by the 
waving of handkerchiefs and shouts of 
triumph. It was quite an exciting drive, 
during which we frightened a priest's 
horse, and the reverend gentleman was 
compelled to join in the race, whilst the 
country-people flocked to the road-side to 
see what was the commotion. However, 
as we approached the precincts of Cork 
we quieted the drivers and checked the 
horses, marching in as soberly and de- 
murely as if returning from a funeral. 

In coming down the river Lee, we 
passed Blackrock, a bold promontory, on 
which is erected a beautiful country man- 
sion, from whence it is said William Penn 
embarked for America. lie resided for 
some years in this vicinity, and was con- 
verted to the doctrines of the Friends 
by hearing a sermon at Cork. 

THE ROUND TOWERS OF IRELAND. 

During our visit to Cork we passed in 
sight of some of the round towers of 
Ireland, many of which we noticed in 
other parts of the country. The origin 
and use of these towers seem to be 
wrapped in impenetrable mystery, and an- 
tiquaries differ in their conjectures on the 
subject. There are about sixty of them 
remaining in the kingdom, most of them 
being in a good state of preservation. 
Their height varies from twenty-five to 
one hundred and thirty feet, and the only 
aperture in these strange structures con- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



299 



sists of a door at some distance from the 
ground, all resembling each other in 
structure, and four small windows also 
near the top. They are very strongly 
built, the cement being as hard as that 
employed in ancient Rome. A few stand 
on high ground, but most of them are in 
remote situations, and sometimes in val- 
leys, forbidding the idea that they could 
have been built for watch-towers. 



CITY OF LIVERPOOL. 

ASPECT OF LIVERPOOL. 

We find Liverpool looking, if possible, 
more solid, more sombre, and more pon- 
derous than it did twelve years ago. The 
same mammoth horses, with their ele- 
phantine legs and hoofs, seem to be draw- 
ing the same heavy loads of merchandise, 
and the same Irishmen seem to be urging 
them on. AYe observe, however, vast im- 
provements in the business centres, in the 
construction of new and elegant estab- 
lishments, which have taken the place of 
the antiquated structures of the past, 
whilst at every turn there are indications 
of the flood of wealth which commerce is 
pouring into its harbor. 

CITY OP LIVERPOOL. 

Although the greatest commercial city 
in the world, it does not come up to the 
anticipations of the stranger in all those 
stirring, bustling scenes of activity which 
an American will look for as inseparable 
from the transactions of so vast a busi- 
ness. On approaching the city from the 
sea, the whole front presents a series of 
blank granite walls, tall warehouses, and 
yawning entrances to dock basins, over 
the top of which, and apparently in close 
contact with the chimneys of the houses, 
the topmasts of vessels can be discerned 
spread for many miles around. If the 
tide is low, the granite walls of the docks 
tower up thirty-five feet from the water, 
as the fluctuation of the tide here is never 
less than twenty feet, whilst the spring- 
tides vary from twenty-nine to thirty- 
three feet. 

The warehouses fronting on the docks 
are generally of immense proportions, 
six or seven stories high, without any 
attempt at architectural display, but of 
solid and massive appearance, their brick 
fronts dingy and blackened, or sometimes 
coated with the dust from the many thou- 



sands of barrels of flour which are con- 
stantly being conveyed to and from their 
upper stories. With the exception of 
the public buildings, no money seems to 
have been expended in business sections 
for beautifying the city, strength and 
utility being the only objects aimed at. 
In proportion to the size of the city, 
which has nearly six hundred thousand 
inhabitants, the retail business seems to 
be very small, and is certainly not equal 
to that of Glasgow. In comparison with 
any of our large American cities, it would 
rate in this respect as a fourth-rate city, 
and we doubt if there are more than half 
as many such establishments as may be 
found in Baltimore. 

STREET SCENES. 

The drinking-houses and resorts for 
sailors along the front of the city, ad- 
joining the docks, are very numerous, 
and, notwithstanding the vigilance of the 
police, it is nut regarded as safe to visit 
that section of the city after gas-light. 
The streets swarm with the most brazen 
and vicious of a hei'd of courtesans that 
the world can produce, whose language 
and conduct in the streets would not be 
tolerated even in New York. Although 
they are numerous in all parts of the 
city, they seem to be under more rigorous 
police control elsewhere, and are not al- 
lowed to annoy or insult respectable peo- 
ple. 

The portions of the city occupied by 
private residences are very extensive, and 
though there are not many costly or ele- 
gant establishments, the houses are gen- 
erally of good size, the streets broad and 
well paved, an air of comfort and neat- 
ness being prevalent not always seen in 
large commercial cities. In 1830 the 
whole population of Liverpool, including 
its dependencies, was but two hundred 
thousand, whilst it has now reached six 
hundred thousand, and Birkenhead, on 
the opposite shore of the Mersey, like 
Brooklyn is to New York, is growing to 
be an immense city, with great lines of 
docks for shipping, which promise to 
rival those of Liverpool. 

THi; LIVERPOOL DOCKS. 

The shipping and trans-shipping of 
goods being mostly carried on within the 
walls of the dock-j^ards, the casual visitor 
sees nothing but a forest of masts as in- 
dicating the vastness of the commerce of 
Liverpool. Commerce does not show it- 
self here as it does in our American cities, 
but is confined within prescribed limits 



300 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



and bounds. The cargo of a vessel arriv- 
ing will often be taken to load another 
ready to depart, and not hauled and 
stored and rehauied, as in New York. 
The docks are all supplied with immense 
sheds, and many of them with large 
warehouses, in which goods are tempo- 
rarily piled away under the control of the 
custom-house authorities. The immense 
products of the manufactories of Man- 
chester, only about thirty miles distant, are 
brought by rail direct to the docks, and 
immediately placed in the holds of the 
ships for which they are designed, the 
American merchants buying direct from 
the factories, and naming the dock, ves- 
sel, and time at which they are to \)Q 
delivered in Liverpool for transportation 
to America. Liverpool is thus rather a 
great mercantile depot than such a mag- 
nificent commercial city as an American 
would expect to find it. 

The docks of Liverpool are undoubtedly 
fine specimens of engineering. Their 
immense solidity is, however, a matter of 
necessity, as the rushing tide of the Mer- 
sey, even in its calmest moods, would 
quickly sweep away a structure of less 
massive character. Each dock has a large 
basin in front, into which the gates of the 
dock open, for the entrance or departure 
of vessels. These gates can only be opened 
at high tide, and are closed as soon as the 
water commences to fall, keeping one depth 
of water always inside the docks, whilst 
that in the basin fluctuates twenty feet 
with the tide of the river. The great 
weight of water, from twenty to thirty 
feet deep, thus retained inside the docks, 
as will readily be understood, requires 
the most massive masonry to retain it 
within bounds. 

The number of docks along the five 
miles of the city front is thirty-three, and 
yet the line is steadily being extended by 
the erection of others, still longer and more 
massive in their construction. These 
arrangements for commercial convenience 
originated with Liverpool, and have 
since been adopted at most of the tidal 
ports of Europe. Without them it would 
be necessary to load and unload vessels 
by lighters, and the whole river Mersey 
could scarcely afford anchorage for the 
shipping that is now floated within these 
granite walls at high tide, and moored in 
deep water whilst unloading and receiv- 
ing cargo for a new voyage. The area 
of the docks varies from twenty thousand 
to sixty thousand square yards, their mas- 
sive gates being mostly opened and closed 
by steam-power. Each is supplied with 



a graving-dock, just large enough to hold 
one first-class ship, into which a ship re- 
quiring repair is floated, after which the 
gate of this inner dock is closed and the 
water pumped out, thus forming a perfect 
dry-dock. 

ST. George's hall. 
The public buildings of Liverpool, al 
though few in number, are very exten- 
sive and grand specimens of architecture. 
The eustom-house is an immense white 
freestone building, surmounted by a 
cupola and dome ; the Exchange and City 
Hall are also very imposing structures ; 
but the pride and glory of Liverpool is 
" St. George's Hall," which it seems was 
built with the determination that it should 
exceed in size, architectural beauty, and 
gi-andeur of design and finish, any other 
building in the United Kingdom, except- 
ing only the Houses of Parliament at 
London. It occupies the centre of what 
seems to be a mound in the very heart of 
the city, and approach it from any of the 
numerous streets converging towards St. 
George's Square, and it looms up before 
the eye in all its grand prominence. The 
building is constructed in the Corinthian 
style of architecture. The eastern facade 
is four hundi-ed and twenty feet long, and 
has a columnar projecting centre, with 
depressed wings. Lideed, the building 
has really four fronts, each presenting 
striking architectural features. One end 
of the building is occupied by the Assize 
Courts, whilst the other contains concerts 
rooms, one of which is of immense pro- 
portions, fitted up and decorated in a style 
of magnificence seldom attempted in a hall 
for such purposes. The interior of this 
largest hall is one hundred and sixty-seven 
feet long by seventy-seven in breadth, with 
an altitude of eighty-two feet. 

ST. George's organ. 
The grand organ in St. George's Hall 
is claimed to be the largest instrument in 
the world, costing al)out sixty thousand 
dollars. It is thirty-three feet in breadth 
and forty-two feet in height, and stands 
in a splendid gallery of a receding semi- 
circular form. We were present at a 
concert given on this grand instrument 
by a distinguished organist. The music 
comprised marches and overtures, and 
displayed the wonderful power and com- 
pass, as well as the sweetness of its tones, 
with fine effect. Concerts are given on 
this great organ every Wednesday and 
Saturday afternoon, when there are large 
audiences present, the charge for admis- 
sion being sixpence. 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



301 



LIFE AT SEA. 

EXPERIENCES JOLLITIES, INTIMACIES, MIS- 
ERIES, AND SICKNESS THRILLING EX- 
PERIENCE AMONG ICEBERGS. 

We have crossed the AtLantic between 
America and Europe six times, and our 
ocean-travelino; in other directions has 
been very extensive, yet we have been 
so fortunate as never to have encountered 
a genuine storm, and very little rough 
weather, at sea. As those who may be 
contemplating a trip to Europe will like 
to know something about " Life on the 
Ocean Wave," we select the following 
exti'acts from our journal of observations 
on various occasions : 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE SEA. 

On our first trip across the Atlantic, 
some years ago, we recorded the follow- 
ing as our first experiences of life at sea : 

The weather has been delightful, with 
a fair wind, and what a sailor would call 
a " fine rolling sea," but which by us, a 
sea-sick landsman, has been regarded as 
a most abominable pitching and tossing, 
at one moment tumbling us from the 
right to the left, and at the next jerking us 
forward and backward, like uninitiated 
equestrians, unable to catch the motion 
of a rough-back steed. 

We left the harbor of New York at 
twelve o'clock on Saturday, with a bright 
sunshine overhead, steamed past Sandy 
Hook, and before sundown had lost 
sight of land. The cabin-passengers mus- 
tered in full force at dinner and supper, 
and all partook of their meals with vig- 
orous appetites, each entertaining the 
hope that, from the first few hours' ex- 
perience, we were to escape the demands 
of old Neptune. After promenading the 
deck until midnight, we retired to our 
state-rooms, in good condition, and awoke 
on Sunday morning all right, still fondly 
imagining that our stomachs were safe. 
But no sooner had our feet touched the 
floor than the inward rebellion com- 
menced, and after a few moments of 
tumbling backward and forwai-d, unable 
to catch the motion of the vessel, and 
receiving sundry bruises on our craniums, 
alternately against the door and wall of 
our contracted apartment, we sank down 
hopeless and prostrate, a few moments 
serving to obliterate all anticipations of 
escape from that most prostrating of all 
the trials and tribulations of the stomach 
with which poor humanity can be beset. 
After resisting the temptation to return 
to our berths prostrate and hopeless, we 



succeeded, amid the pitching and toss- 
ing of the vessel, in finding our way 
into our clothing, and with combless 
heads, unwashed faces, and woe-begone 
countenances, scrambled through the nar- 
row passages beneath deck, and thence, 
by clinging tenaciously to the balusters 
of the companion-way, we crawled out 
into the open air, where we met with 
throngs of fellow-sulferers. Such a woe- 
begone collection of humanity it would be 
difficult to describe. The old "sea-dogs," 
accustomed to the roll of the waves, with 
cigars in their mouths, calmly surveyed 
us and smiled at our calamity, from 
which they were so happily exempt. 

The only sure relief from sea-sickness 
being to struggle against that feeling of 
utter prostration which tempts you to dive 
down into your state-room, and boldly to 
face the wind and encounter the rolling 
of the vessel in the open air on the prome- 
nade-deck, a score or more of sufferers were 
soon reeling to and fro around the deck, 
until they finally sank down exhausted, 
where they lay wrapped up in shawls and 
blankets like a tribe of Bedouin Arabs. 
Any attempt to secure a perpendicular 
position immediately aggravated the dif 
ficulty. The fumes from the kitchen, 
which occasionally reached us, and the 
sound of the dinnei'-bell, were anything 
but agreeable. Most of the passengers 
thus remained nearly all day on Sunday, 
occasionally venturing on an upright po- 
sition to familiarize themselves with the 
motion of the vessel. By supper-time, 
after about fifteen hours of prostration, 
we had sufficiently recovered to venture 
to the table, though with fear that we 
would be compelled to retreat without 
eating a mouthful. We, however, suc- 
ceeded in forcing down a few morsels of 
food, with a cup of tea, and again re- 
sumed our positions on the promenade- 
deck. Here, by keeping in motion until 
midnight, we began to realize that we 
had conquered the tyrant who had ruled 
over us with such a sickening influence 
since the break of day. 

We finally retired, full of hope that our 
troubles were at an end, and spent quite 
a comfortable night ; though when day- 
light arrived it was with fear and trem- 
bling that we ventured from our berths, 
in the expectation of a repetition of the 
sickening visitation of the preceding 
morning. However, the feat was accom- 
plished in safety, and, as we stood once 
more erect upon the cabin-floor, we felt 
that we had " our sea-legs on,'' to use a 
nautical phrase, and could encounter the 



302 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



rolling of the vessel -vrithout danger of 
bringing our heads in contact with the 
timbers. It was indeed a most happy re- 
lief to be enabled to walk the undulating 
deck with head erect, and to march in to 
breakfast with an appetite sharpened by 
our long fast. 

MISERIES OF THE SEA. 

In our notes of a subsequent voyage 
we find the following recorded under the 
heading "Miseries of the Sea:" 

The Peruvian left Liverpool in a storm, 
or at least a heavy head-wind, with oc- 
casional showers of rain, which drove 
everybody below deck before we had 
scarcely passed beyond the gates of Wel- 
lington dock. We had on board one hun- 
dred and twenty cabin passengers, and 
nearly two hundred intermediate and 
steerage passengers, mostly bound to 
Canada, with a few inevitable Yankees, 
as our English cousins style us. The 
weather became, during the night, thick 
and heavy, with fitful gusts of wind, all 
of which persisted in coming from the 
wrong direction. In the morning the 
weather was Avhat a sailor would term 
decidedly "dirty," with occasional fogs, 
so dense that it became necessary to sIoav 
down the engine and sound the fog-whis- 
tle. It was just such weather as might 
be regarded as calculated to promote sea- 
sickness, and there were few on board 
who were not affected more or less with 
the preliminary symptoms of the epidemic. 
One gentleman who was making his 
thirty-fifth passage failed to respond to 
the breakfast-bell, and fully ninety of the 
hundred seats were vacant. Even one of 
our little party of nauticals who had 
braved the terrors of the Mediterranean 
and had twice crossed the Channel tem- 
porarily succumbed, and those that ven- 
tured below did not linger long over their 
cofi"ee. The number in attendance at lunch 
was still more limited, but as we put into 
the quiet harbor of Queenstown about 
dinner-time there was quite a good at- 
tendance, and hopes were entertained that 
this brief respite Avould be of permanent 
service. We had scarcely returned to the 
Irish coast, however, before the sea be- 
came still more rough, with intermittent 
rains and a head-wind, wdiich continued 
until the close of the third day. Suffice 
it to say that during these three days 
sickness was almost universal fore and aft, 
the decks, notwithstanding their damp- 
ness, being strewn with sufferers. Those 
who remained in their state-rooms were 
reported to be quite ill, and it was not 



until the fourth day, when the sea became 
more calm, that they could be prevailed 
upon to allow themselves to be helped to 
the deck. Sudden as was the sickness, 
the recovery was now equally rapid, and 
every meal showed a larger attendance at 
the table, until the fifth daj\ when every 
seat was reoccupied. A bright sun gave 
new life to every one, and, although we 
still had a rolling sea, our heads were ad- 
justed to the motion of the vessel, and our 
" sea-legs" were fairly on. 

It is interesting to note the change among 
passengers on a steamer when they be- 
come accustomed to the rolling and pitch- 
ing that are inevitable during the greater 
portion of a passage over the great deep. 
The rattling and upsetting of the dishes 
at table as they slide to and fro are at 
first appalling, but after recovery these 
mishaps are greeted with shouts of laugh- 
ter, and even the upsetting of a plate of 
soup into one's lap is not considered much 
of a disaster, all being arrayed in clothing 
that they do not expect to wear again after 
leaving the ship. The brain no longer 
swims, nor does the stomach respond to 
the up-and-down motion of the vessel as 
she sweeps through the rolling sea. At 
night the saloon rings with laughter in- 
stead of the wails of the sufferers, and 
those who had deemed it prudent to sit 
still and hold fast to keep from being 
thrown from their seats now move about 
without scarcely noticing the motion of 
the vessel, to which they have learned to 
accommodate themselves. Every night the 
saloon presents a gathering of happy 
people, the piano responds to the skillful 
handling of the performers, and song 
and merriment speed the pleasant hours. 
Groups will be found engaging in games 
of whist, and the evening amusements 
always close with some refreshments, such 
as anchovy-toast and tea. The deck, 
which early in the vo3'age had been 
strewn with sufferers, is now devoted 
to promenading, dancing, shuffle-board 
matches, and all manner of pastimes. 
The roll of the ship becomes a source of 
amusement instead of terror, and the days 
pass with a rapidity that is truly marvel- 
ous in comparison with those of the sickly 
season. 

INTIMACIES OF THE SEA. 

The scenes on board an ocean-steamer 
during the first few days of a voyage 
which commences with rough weather 
can scarcely be imagined l)y those who 
have not witnessed them. The first even- 
ing is all gayety and jollity, and the 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



303 



dinner-table is thronged, with all the 
passengers in their seats. All are in 
high glee, and full of hope that the morn- 
ing will disclose a bright sky and a calm 
sea. The children, of whom there are 
always a goodly number, gambol around 
the cabin, and finally settle down on the 
sofas, drowsy and tired, but delighted 
with the novelties by which they are 
surrounded. Parents take them to their 
state-rooms to dispose of them for the 
night, intending to return to the saloon 
for supper, but a few moments below 
bring on the nausea preceding sea-sick- 
ness, and they conclude to retire for the 
night. Morning comes, and they feel an 
earnest desire to escape from the close 
and confined air which they have been 
bi'eathiag, and make a frantic effort to 
dress. But they are no sooner on their 
feet than they find themselves flying 
back and forward like shuttlecocks be- 
tween the door and the berth, or with 
their heads in contact with the looking- 
glass, for the vessel always seems to roll 
and pitch with more than usual vindictive- 
ness about getting-up time. A nausea 
that is blinding and bewildering imme- 
diately sets in, which causes many to 
give up the task of dressing as a hopeless 
one, and they fall back in their berths as 
limp and nerveless as if they had suddenly 
been stricken with paralysis. Those who 
thus yield are seldom seen again for some 
days, or at least until calmer weather sets 
in. A great many, however, renew the 
effort to dress, and finally succeed in 
reaching the deck, with blankets or rugs, 
where they coil themselves on benches or 
the deck, jumping up occasionally and 
staggering to the side of the vessel. At 
first it is an amusing sight to those who 
are exempt, but the suffering gradually 
becomes so intense, and the prostration 
80 complete, that earnest sympathies are 
awakened, and the kindness and attention 
then extended soon break down all 
formalities and obviate introductions. 
Those who remain in their state-rooms, 
confined to a dark and narrow berth, in 
which it is difficult to turn, become in 
two or three days so weak and prostrate 
that they can only reach the deck by 
being taken up bodily, when they will 
fall upon the couches prepared for them, 
pale and prostrate, as if all vitality had 
forsaken them. Those who refused to 
succumb have by this time fully recovered, 
and, like good Samaritans, may be seen 
exerting themselves in all directions to 
aid and assist the sufferers. Husbands 
and wives are at times both prostrate. 



and their children equally unable to help 
themselves. It is not to be wondered 
at, therefore, that before the close of the 
passage an intimacy and friendship is 
established between the passengers that 
could not be attained in a year on dry 
land. 

JOLLITIES OF THE SEA, 

There are always a set of jolly fellows 
on board of every steamer, — fellows who 
never get sick, and are always getting up 
some kind of amusement. During the 
sickly season they have their fun all to 
themselves, and keep to the smoking- 
room or hug the smoke-stack. So soon as 
the sun is out, and their fellow-passengers 
recover stamina sufficient to enable them 
to walk the deck, they become valuable 
adjuncts to the captain in his endeavor to 
make everybody feel happy and comfort- 
able. Although they do not sing hymns 
in the smoking-room, they can furnish the 
bass voices for the music at the Sunday 
services, and aid in the choruses at the 
nightly concerts given in the saloon, or 
sing a comic song by way of diversifying 
the entertainment. They get up all man- 
ner of games upon deck, and are proficient 
in all the most approved modes of killing 
time. They arrange for match games at 
shuffle-board, promenade the decks with 
the ladies who have no male attendants, 
and are determined not only to be happy 
themselves, but to do all in their power 
to promote the happiness and enjoyment 
of others. These good fellows are gener- 
ally merchants or foreign buyers passing ot 
to and from Europe on their annual 
journey for goods, and are never at a loss 
for anecdotes and incidents with which to 
enliven the smoking-room in dull or rainy 
weather. They hunt up among the steer- 
age-passengers some cases worthy of pe- 
cuniary aid, making them happy by liberal 
contributions, or presenting such cases 
to the consideration of the other passen- 
gers. Sometimes their boisterous mirth 
disturbs the quiet of the night ; but then 
they are privileged characters, and beyond 
a little scolding from the captain they find 
nothing to interrupt or mar their jollity. 
When everything else fails, they make 
wagers on the number of miles the log 
will record at noon as having been run 
during the preceding twenty-four hours, 
and, when nearing port, on the number 
of the pilot-boat which will first hail . 
them. A pool of twenty or thirty dollars 
is thus raised, which will be swept by the 
one fortunate enough to name the win- 
ning figures, the money being generally 



304 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



handed over for some charitable ob- 

Captain Smith, of the Peruvian, is one 
of the jovial kind, and devotes every mo- 
ment of spare time from the duties of the 
ship to the amusement of his passengers. 
lie has a kind word for every one, and is 
quite as attentive to the comfort of the 
steerage and intermediate passengers as 
to those in the cabin. He sings an ex- 
cellent song, tells a good story, and, on 
Sunday evening last, showed that he could 
not only go through the services of the 
Church of England, but actually read a 
good sermon to the cabin and steerage 
passengers assembled in the saloon, to 
the number of nearly two hundred. 

The smoking-room is throughout the 
passage the centre of fun and amusement, 
occasionally varied with discussions on 
colonial or American politics. It is taken 
possession of at first by the few who bid 
defiance to the turmoil of Neptune's va- 
garies, until they are gradually reinforced 
by those Avho a few days before had 
thought they would never again be en- 
abled to enjoy the fragrant weed. When 
a smoker is enabled to light his pipe or 
cigar he is considered cured, and from 
thenceforth he spends his time in respond- 
ing to the five invitations per day from 
the dining-room bell, with an astonishing 
appetite, takes a few strolls upon the 
deck, and returns to his smoking. The 
stories, yarns, songs, and discussions of 
the jolly fellows who assemble in the 
smoking-room, often continuing until past 
midnight, render it an attractive loung- 
ing-place also for those who do not take 
to the weed, who remain until the smoke 
gets too dense for their sensitive lungs 
and stomachs. 

SUNDAY ON SniP-BOARD. 

Sunday was a bright and beautiful day. 
The sick had all recovered, and the sea 
was calm and quiet. Throughout the 
ship everybody appeared in their best at- 
tire. We were now in about mid-ocean, 
half-way between Liverpool and Halifax, 
steaming at the rate of three hundred 
miles per day, the wind being so light as 
scarcely to create a ripple. After break- 
fast there Avas a very general promenade 
on deck, and at ten o'clock the bell com- 
menced to sound for worship, when all 
repaired to the saloon, which was soon 
filled to its utmost capacity by as atten- 
tive a congregation as ever assembled in 
any church at home. An impromptu choir 
had been organized on the preceding 
night by Captain Smith and Purser 



Clarke, assisted by Miss Philpot, a lady 
passenger of fine musical attainments, 
and the rehearsal promised that this por- 
tion of the service would be well ren- 
dered. Among the passengers is the 
Rev. Mr. Pendleton, of Lexington, Va., 
formerly known as General Pendleton, 
of General Lee"s staff', during the rebel- 
lion. He resigned the pulpit to take up 
the sword, and at the close of the war 
was among those who surrendered to Gen- 
eral Grant. He then returned to his min- 
isterial duties. The reverend gentleman 
delivered an excellent sermon, his voice 
being distinctly heard, notwithstanding 
the noises of the sea, in all parts of the 
spacious cabin. After supper the bell 
again tolled, and the congregation reas- 
sembled, when Captain Smith went 
through the entire Church service, and 
delivered a brief but excellent address. 
A collection was taken up for the benefit 
of the Aged Seamen's Home, of Liverpool. 
On Monday night a concert was given in 
the cabin for the benefit of the Asylum 
for Sailors' Orphans and Widows. The 
receipts on both these occasions amounted 
to about twelve pounds, or thirty dollars 
for each charity. 

THE NAUTICAL BELLS. 

The landsman traveling on the ocean 
finds it diflicult to understand the mode 
of keeping the hour which he hears 
sounded on the bells every thirty minutes. 
Having obtained an explanation of the 
bells, we will endeavor to make it plain to 
the comprehension of the general reader. 
There are five regular watches of four 
hours each, making twenty hours, and 
two watches of two hours each, called the 
"dog-watch." Commencing at twelve 
o'clock, the first bell is struck at half-past 
twelve, and they continue as follows: 

REGULAR WATCH. 

12^ o'clock ... 1 bell. 

1 " ... 2 bells. 
U " . . . 3 " 

2 " . . . 4 " 
2^ " ". ! ! 5 " 

3 " . . . 6 " 
3J '< . . . 7 " 

4 " . . . 8 " 





DOG-WATCH. 




Ah o'clock . . . 


1 bell. 


5" " 




2 bells. 


^ » 




3 " 


6 " 




4 <' 


^ " 




1 " 


7 




2 " 


7^ " 




3 " 


8 " 




4 » 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



305 



The watch thus goes on for the balance 
of the twenty-four hours, changing every 
four hours, from eight to twelve o'clock, 
from twelve to four, from four to eight, 
and from eight to twelve, striking eight 
bells for each regular watch. The " dog- 
watch" is to relieve the officers from double 
watches on successive nights. 

CABIN AMUSEMENTS. 

As we approach our journey's end, joy 
and gladness seem to pervade the whole 
ship. The sailors sing their nautical 
airs with new spirit, and the passengers 
join in sports and amusements with more 
than usual zest. Last night the cabin 
was the scene of general hilarity, songs 
were given of various nationalities, and 
stories told with great spirit. A party 
of young Americans, of whom there are 
not more than fifteen out of the two hun- 
dred and fifty-nine souls on board, con- 
cluded the pleasures of the evening by 
singing the song of " Uncle Sam's Farm," 
all the passengersjoininginthe following 
chorus : 

"Come along! come along! make no delay! 
Come from Rvery nation, come from every way I 
Tht^re is room eaougli for all, anJ don't be alarmed. 
For Uncle Sum is rich enough to give us all a farm." 

The English officers flocked around, 
and seemed greatly amused at the Yankee 
enthusiasm evinced. 

ICEBERGS ON THE OCEAN. 

The greatest terror of ocean-travel is 
the icebergs which are so frequently met 
with on the coast of Newfoundland 
during the early summer months. Whilst 
crossing the ocean in June, 1852, on the 
steamer Moravian, we had some experience 
with these monsters, which Ave noted as 
follows in our journal of the trip. 

ICEBERGS A GRAND SIGHT. 

During all of Wednesday afternoon 
and night we were enveloped in a dense 
fog, which required the constant blow- 
ing of the steam-whistle and occasional 
stopping of the steamer for soundings. 
We also were compelled to slow down to 
half-speed, Captain Graham being one of 
those careful men who are determined to 
keep out of the way of disasters if pos- 
sible. At ten o'clock in the morning the 
fog cleared away, and the coast of New- 
foundland could be seen in the far dis- 
tance. The atmosphere was decidedly 
winterish, although it was the middle of 
June, the thermometer being down to 
forty-six degrees. We had previously 
heard of icebergs being on the coast, and 
^ 20 



soon descried one about ten miles distant, 
looming up about fifty feet out of the water, 
and evidently aground. It was a novel 
sight to landsmen, and all hands were 
soon upon deck, whilst all the glasses 
on board were brought into requisition. 
Subsequently we passed nearly twenty 
bergs at different points, all stranded. 
The winterish atmosphere was attrib- 
uted to these floating monsters, which 
annually come down from the coast of 
Labrador. 

At the mouth of the harbor of St. 
John three large icebergs were stranded, 
and in entering we were compelled to 
pass within a hundred yards of them. 
They looked like immense mountains of 
pure white polished marble, glistening 
in the sun, towering up sixty feet above 
the surface of the waves. The entrance 
of St. John resembles very much that 
to the harbor of Havana, only that Moro 
Castle is wanting on the towering rocks 
to the left. The passage between these 
rocks is not more than four hundred 
yards in width, and on either side of the 
entrance to this narrow passage stood 
two immense icebergs, which had stranded 
here on their passage down the coast. 
They were nearly opposite each other, 
that on the right side of the ship being 
about a hundred yards farthest seaward. 
The distance from the vessel to either of 
them as we passed in was not more than 
fifty feet. After viewing the first one, all 
hands rushed to the left side of the ship 
to see the other monster, and just as the 
ship was full abreast of it a large mass 
from the top, towering up about fifty feet 
in the air, and weighing probably one 
hundred tons, cracked and fell into the 
sea with a tremendous crash, dashing the 
waves up against the^ide of the steamer 
with great force, 'llie breaking of the 
ice was accompanied by a noise like a 
scattering volley of musketi'y. No sooner 
had the astonishment at this sight subsided 
than the huge mountain of ice began to 
rise in the sea, and slowly commenced to 
topple over towards the vessel, showing 
that its depth under water must have 
been, as the pilot assured us, one hundred 
and sixty feet, that being the depth at 
this point. As it toppled over, the water 
from what appeared to have been a small 
lake collected upon its broad and ex- 
tended summit poured over, forming for 
a m'>ment a grand cascade, as it rushed 
down the pure white sides of the berg, 
deeply tinted with green. Not knowing 
whether the motion of the monster would 
be rapid or slow, a slight tremor of terror 



i06 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



passed over the minds of the passengers, 
as its motion was towards the vessel, 
which was gliding along within a few 
feet of the reeling mountain. In a minute, 
however, we had passed out of danger, 
and as we viewed it from the stern of the 
steamer it quietly settled down again in 
its own bed, surrounded by the floating 
masses of crumbling ice that had become 
detached from it whilst turning over. 
The ground-swell caused by the passage 
of our steamer so close to the berg 
had evidently disturbed its equilibrium, 
though its fellow-monster stood firm as a 
ruck, throwing off from its summit a 
steady cascade of green-tinted water, 
which poured into the sea, showing the 
melting process it was undergoing from 
the warm rays of the sun. 

On coming out of the harbor two hours 
afterwards, Captain Graham gave these 
bergs a wider berth, but fired his parting 
guns at each of them as he passed, evi- 
dently hoping to get up another spectacle 
for the amusement of his passengers. It 
was indeed a glorious sight, and one Avell 
worth a visit to St. John to witness. 
The close view we had of these immense 
icebergs was grand in itself, but to see 
one turning itself leisurely was a spec- 
tacle seldom so closely witnessed even by 
the denizens of the shores bordering the 
Arctic current. They, however, resisted 
all further motion, and returned our gaze 
with a frozen stolidity, reflecting the rays 
of a full rising moon as they had previ- 
ously those of the setting sun. The New- 
foundlanders on board said they had never 
in their lives witnessed so grand a sight, 
and that in twenty years we could not have 
entered the harbor under such novel cir- 
cumstances. 

COURSE OF ?HE ICEBERGS. 

The vast number of icebergs which are 
borne past the shores of Newfoundland 
during the spring aiid early summer is 
almost incredible, and it is believed that 
all the missing ocean-steamers have met 
their fate by coming in contact with them. 
Aliout the end of May of last year, says 
a writer in the Canadian Illustrated, from 
Signal Hill, an eminence at the mouth of 
the harbor of St. John, six hundred feet 
high, sixty icebergs, great and small, 
were visible to the naked eye. " They 
were moving slowly southward to their 
grave in the Gulf Stream. There could 
not be a more strikingly beautiful object 
than one of these stately wanderers of the 
deep, huge and solitary, proudly sailing 
onwards, regardless alike of wind and 



tide, yet borne ii-resistibly along the deep- 
sea current. The waves that dash in foam 
against its sides shake not the strength of 
its crystal walls nor tarnish the sheen of 
its emerald caves. Sleet, and snow, and 
storm, and tempest are its congenial ele- 
ments. Ice-floes come in its way, and 
are shivered to atoms ; storms rage, 
but it heeds them not. Proudly it 
flings back the billows from its projecting 
crags and pinnacles, which gleam like 
cliffs of chalk or white marble. We 
might fancy that nothing could avail to 
destroy such a giant mass, and that it 
might sail on forever. But all the while 
the rays of the sun are playing upon its 
surface and penetrating its substance, 
and the warm breath of spring is loosen- 
ing its joints and relaxing its strength. 
Streams begin to pour down its great 
sides. Huge crags drop doAvn with sullen 
plunge into the ocean, awakening the 
echoes among the neighboring rocks and 
hills. Large fragments are detached, and 
float away in independent existence. 
Presently it becomes top-heavy, loses its 
equilibrium, and turns upon its side or 
reels completely over with a thundering 
crash, making the sea boil into foam, and 
causing a swell that is perceptible for 
miles." 

DANGERS OF THEIR MOVEMENTS. 

Woe to the luckless boat or vessel that 
may be in too close proximity when the 
monster m-akes one of these lunges. At 
times the berg cannot recover its equi- 
librium, as ours did at the mouth of St. 
John harbor, and continues rolling and 
tumbling like a huge porpoise, dropping 
fragment after fragment in its uncouth 
gambols, till the whole mass falls asunder 
like a wreck. These rolling icebergs, 
which are peculiarly dangerous, our seal- 
ers call " growlers." Or the berg may 
right itself by a complete immersion, and 
sail onward, reduced in dimensions and 
enveloped in mist, until it reaches the 
warm waters of the Gulf Stream, where 
it is fin.ally dissolved. Seldom, however, 
are any icebergs met with farther south- 
ward than forty degrees of north latitude. 
Even now, when the summer warmth is 
so slight, it is surprising to note how 
rapidly the smaller bergs that drift into 
the bays and harbors and get aground 
dissolve under the influence of the sun's 
rays. As the summer advances, they 
become very brittle, and then a slight 
degree of violence is enough to rupture 
them. Should a vessel be caught between 
two bergs or between a floe and a berg 



I 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



507 



in motion, she could no more resist the 
pressure than a wineglass the effect of a 
ball discharged from an Armstrong gun. 

SIZE AND FORM OF THE BERGS. 

The majority of bergs that float past 
are of no great size, but occasionally they 
are of vast dimensions. One was reported 
last year by several captains as half a 
mile in length. This might seem an ex- 
aggeration ; but one is reported to have 
been seen by Ross, in Baffin Bay, the 
birthplace of the bergs, two miles and a 
half long, two miles wide, and fifty feet 
high, nine times as much of its bulk 
being under the water as above its sur- 
face. The weight of this iceberg was 
estimated at a billion and a half of tons. 
The visible portion of an icel)erg is only 
about one-ninth part of the real bulk of 
the whole mass ; so that if one be seen a 
hundred fe^ high, its lowest point may 
perhaps be eight hundred feet below the 
waves. But we are assured that bergs 
are frequently seen two hundred and 
three hundred feet above the sea, and 
these, if their submarine proportions sank 
to the maximum depth, must have reached 
the enormous total of two thousand 
seven hundred feet. The bergs ai'e of all 
shapes as well as sizes, sometimes rising 
into pointed spires like steeples, some- 
times taking the form of a conical hill, 
sometimes having domes and pinnacles. 
They have been seen bearing the forms 
of old abbeys afloat, with walls and but- 
tresses of marble, and others with a 
striking resemblance to a crouching lion. 
The most general form, however, is with 
one high perpendicular side, the opposite 
side very low, and the intermediate sur- 
face forming a gradual slope. Some have 
been seen containing prodigious caverns, 
and some with hollows containing vast 
accumulations of snow. Their appear- 
ance is that of chalk-cliffs, with a glitter- 
ing surface, and emerald-green fractures. 
Pools of azure blue water lie upon the 
surface or fixll in cascades from them. 
From these reservoirs vessels often obtain 
supplies of water peculiarly sweet and 
agreeable. They are entirely of fresh 
water frozen, and when opposite New- 
foundland have floated nearly two thou- 
sand miles from the place of their forma- 
tion. 

PERILS OF THE ARCTIC STREAM. 

The scene presented during a storm by 
these floating ice-mountains is represented 
to be peculiarly grand and frightful, and 
woe to the luckless mariner whose vessel 



is caught among them. Doubtless the 
several ocean-steamers that have been 
lost since the days of the ill-fated steamer 
President have met their fate from con- 
tact with icebergs. That these dangers 
are not imaginary may be gathered from 
the results of this season's operations 
amid our ice-fields. At this date it is 
known that seventeen sailing-vessels and 
three large steamers have been wrecked 
and totally destroyed, and at least fifty 
seal-hunters have met a watery grave, 
and twenty or thii-ty besides were seri- 
ously injured. Not for half a century 
has such a season of peril and destruc- 
tion of life and shipping been known. 

APRIL FOOLS AT SEA. 

The officers and crew of our steamer, 
numbering one hundred and five, are all 
Englishmen, and hence the old English 
custom of making April fools was carried 
out to its fullest extent, especially between 
midnight and daylight on the morning 
of the first. The carpenter was roused 
up from his sleep to stop a leak, and only 
discovered the trick after he had searched 
with his lantern in vain. The bar-keeper 
was aroused and sent with a bottle of 
brandy to the captain's office, who had 
been reported as suffering with colic. 
The surgeon of the ship also arrived 
simultaneously on the same errand. The 
chambermaid was called up to attend 
a lady who was reported to have fallen 
down the cabin steps. Captain Jeffreys, 
whom we had picked up at sea on a 
wrecked vessel, was requested to relieve 
Captain Petrie on the promenade-deck, 
who it was said had been taken suddenly 
ill. Some of the passengers also caught 
the mania and joined in the fun, one 
gouty old gentleman having been roused 
up under the conviction that the vessel 
had sprung a leak, that the pumps were 
out of order, and that the sailors were in 
superstitious dread of sinking because a 
monkey, which had been brought on 
board by the crew of the Grey Oak, had 
jumped overboard. lie only discovered 
the "sell" when he reached the deck and 
met the monkey chattering on the top of 
a sea-chest, and heard the men on watch 
exchange bells with the cry of " all's 
well." 

The game of " hanging the monkey," 
played on English steamers when the 
passengers get tired of shuffle-board, be- 
ing a peculiarly nautical amusement, re- 
quiring the rolling of the vessel for its 
full enjoyment, may need some descrip- 
tion to the uninitiated. A rope with a 



308 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH 



noose at the end of it is suspended from 
the rigging to the centre of the prome- 
nade-deck. One of the players, with his 
handkerchief twisted and knotted, swings 
himself by this noose under his arms, the 
other players being stationed around with 
handkerchiefs similarly knotted, and as 
the "monkey swings" each is at lib- 
erty to strike him. This sport continues 
until he succeeds in striking one of his 
tormentors, when the one struck must 
take his place, and thus the exhilarating 
game progresses until all are worn down 
by its fatigues. 

OUR LAST TRIP. 

We conclude our volume of travels with 
the following notes of our return from 
Europe in the fall of 1873, being the 
close of the tour which is here recorded. 

We left Southampton at ten o'clock on 
Friday, September 26, 1873, with fine 
clear weather, and the prospect of a pleas- 
ant voyage. In the dock at Southamp- 
ton, preparing to follow us, were two other 
steamers of the North German Lloyds, 
one bound to New York and the other to 
New Orleans, crowded with German emi- 
grants, including a considerable number 
of Roman Catholic priests and Sisters of 
Charity who had been expelled from 
^ Germany. To the American, the sight 
of these throngs of people seeking his 
favored land, and leaving forever the 
homes of their childhood, naturally oc- 
casioned a flutter of national pride. If 
all who desire to come to America could 
procure the means, the number of steamers 
would have to be increased fourfold. 
The laboring classes of Europe are yearn- 
ing to emigrate to America, especially the 
young and vigorous, and this feeling is 
increased by the large number of natu- 
ralized foreigners who are visiting their 
native land. Those whom they left in 
poverty they find still in poverty, and 
their sons scattered afound in the bar- 
racks doing military duty. The visit of 
such persons to Europe with their fami- 
lies on a pleasure-tour among the scenes 
of their youth is a conclusive proof of 
the prosperity which they have met with 
in their adopted country. 

HOMEWARD BOXIND. 

There is an immensity of pleasure in 
the knowledge, after six months' absence, 
that we are homeward bound. Every day 
and every hour is counted, and a reckon- 
ing of the miles passed over each day is 
Rcrupulously kept, by way of estimating 
the distance yet remaining. The state of 



the wind, and the condition of the barom- 
eter, also receive hourly attention, and 
impatience is evinced at the slightest de- 
tention. All are anxious to reach home, 
and especially to escape from " life on the 
ocean wave," which is much more irk- 
some on the return than on the outward- 
bound voyage. Next to solitary confine- 
ment, there is nothing more wearisome 
than a homeward trip across the Atlantic, 
and nothing more trying to patience, 
nerves, and the stomach. To be rolled 
and pitched and tossed about for twelve 
or fourteen days and nights is a trying- 
ordeal even for those who are proof 
against sea-sickness, but to the great ma- 
jority it is worse than can be possibly 
conceived of by those who have not 
passed through the ordeal. Many ladies 
who have not strength to brave the deck 
and seek fresh air lie in their berths dur- 
ing most of this long period, afflicted 
with perpetual nausea, constantly irri- 
tated by the motion of the vessel. During 
rainy and stormy weather all must keep 
in the close cabin, holding fast to their 
seats to prevent being pitched headlong 
across the table. Reading or writing is 
next to impossible in such a moving 
scene, and lounging about and smoking 
is the only resort to kill time. Two 
weeks on shore is a very brief space, but 
on shipboard it seems like two long and 
weary months. At the time of writing, 
we have been but five days at sea, and 
the nine days expected to intervene be- 
fore our vision shall be greeted with the 
sight of Cape Henry seems like a " little 
eternity." The Baltimore is an expe- 
rienced roller, and at nights it is at times 
difficult to keep from pitching out of our 
berths, sleep being next to impossible. 
At meals, the soup or co0"ee is constantly 
spilling into our laps, and the plates are 
clashing together and dancing all man- 
ner of pirouettes on the table, apparently 
making an effort to jump out of their 
racks. This stirring scene is very trying 
to the stomach, too much so at times for 
some of our companions, who are com- 
pelled to jump and run for fresh air and 
immediate relief. Such is life at sea, 
with its dreary monotony and many dis- 
comforts, which the poets have invested 
with all manner of romance for the de- 
ception of landsmen. Those who follow 
the sea are always longing for the day 
to come when they can drop their an- 
chors on shore, and sailors are becoming 
so scarce that half the crews of the mer- 
chant marine are little better than lands- 



AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



309 



THE STEERAGE PASSENGERS. 

Our steerage passengers are, as usual, 
nearly all victims to sea-sickness. During 
the iirst four days of the passage the 
decks were strewn with men, women, and 
children, rolled up in blankets, groaning 
and moaning in reckless abandon, whilst 
others were leaning over the bulwarks, 
looking as if contemplating a plunge into 
the sea as a relief ffom the misery that 
was harrowing their very vitals. The 
few who had escaped the visitation were 
endeavoring to arouse others to locomo- 
tion, as the surest means of recovery. 
One bright young German, with an accor- 
deon in hand, who started off for a prome- 
nade, performing one of Strauss's waltzes, 
succeeded in getting about twenty young 
girls to fall in line, keeping them in mo- 
tion as long as he could obtain recruits. 
Some would stagger along for a while, 
and fall back to their blankets in despair, 
but to those who persisted in resisting 
the inclination to retreat it proved a bet- 
ter remedy than any the doctor could 
furnish. To overcome sea-sickness re- 
quires nerve, determination, and pluck. 
It must be fought with vigor, or there is 
no escape so long as the cause exists. 

Among the steerage passengers are 
several large families, having with them 
sufficient means for purchasing land and 
locating in the West. Most of the young 
girls, of whom there are quite a number, 
bright German blondes, have been sent for 
by their betrothed, who have gone on be- 
fore them, and others by parents who 
have preceded them to the land of promise. 
There is one young soldier in Prussian 
uniform, with a medal decoration on his 
breast, who has just completed his three 
years' service and distinguished himself 
in the Franco-Prussian war. A Jesuit 
priest is also in the steerage, and a few 
old fathers and mothers who are going 
out to spend the remainder of their days 
with their children, who have long since 
become American citizens. Among the 
cabin passengers is a venerable German 
who has three brothers and a sister in 
Missouri, and also a married daughter 
who left him when she was twelve years 
of age, and who is now the mother of a 
family of children. His brothers are 
among the largest of the merchant mil- 
lers of the West, having taken to the 
business of their parents in the old 
country. 

HOME AGAIN. 

Our journey is nearly over, and we will 
make the passage in fourteen days from I 



Southampton. The voyage has been a 
tolerably pleasant one, though we have 
had an abundance of squally and rainy 
weather, with light but generally favor- 
able winds. The following is the journal 
of our run : 





Miles. 






Miles. 


September 27 
September 28 
September 29 
September 30 
October! . . 
October 2 . . 
Octobers . . 


. 236 

. 246 
275 
263 
252 

. 268 
246 


October 
October 
October 
October 
October 
October 
October 


4 . 

5 . 

6 . 

7 . 

8 . 

9 . 
10 . 


. 247 

. 256 
. 276 
. 276 
. 280 
. 199 
. 180 


Total distance 






3500 



THE OCEAN HIGHWAY. 

We give the above run of the Balti- 
more to show the inexperienced reader 
that the ocean is virtually a highway, and 
that navigation has been reduced to such • 
a science that the passenger may feel as 
if he was traveling on a well-defined road, 
with its mile-stones and telegraph wires. 
At noon every day the precise position of 
the vessel is ascertained, and the number 
of miles run during the preceding twenty- 
four hours bulletined by the captain. He 
can point out upon his map precisely 
where he is, although surrounded by a 
vast expanse of water, to which the hori- 
zon is the only boundary. The sun seems 
to come up out of the sea in the morning 
and retire to its ocean-bed in the evening, 
and, although fogs and storms may inter- 
vene, we keep steadily on our course. 
Every day one or more ocean-steamers 
are passed within sight, all pursuing the 
same track, and, though the vessel may 
pitch and toss in a most uncomfortable 
manner, a feeling of safety is assured to 
all on board. 

FINIS. 

We are now steaming up the Chesa- 
peake, and will soon be in sight of Fort 
Carroll. Althougn our trip has been one 
of unbroken pleasure and enjoyment, we 
return home better satisfied than ever that 
we have the best form of government in 
the world, and the only country, except 
perhaps England and Switzerland, in 
which the citizen is something more than 
a mere slave. " Liberty, fraternity, and 
equality" are unmeaning words in most 
European countries, and a^e merely used 
to gull the ignorant and to cover up the 
designs of ambitious masters. If in this 
correspondence we have given cause to 
Americans to feel more attached to their 
own institutions, by our descriptions of 



310 



EUROPE VIEWED THROUGH AMERICAN SPECTACLES. 



social life under monarchial rule, we 
shall feel that we have accomplished some 
good in our day and generation. 

We have endeavored to give a fair and 
truthful statement and description of 
everything that has passed under our 
observation likely to interest and instruct 
the reader. In the haste of writing we 
have no doubt committed some minor 
errors, and may at times have formed and 
expressed opinions too hurriedly ; but we 
have endeavored to treat every subject 



fairly and candidly, availing ourselves of 
the most reliable sources of information 
within our reach. We have striven also 
to enable the reader to see what we were 
viewing, and to form correct ideas of life in 
European countries. IIow far we have 
succeeded, the demand which greeted us 
upon our arrival for the publication of our 
" Europe viewed through American Spec- 
tacles" in book form is some assurance 
that we have not entirely failed in our 
purpose. 



HINTS TO EUROPEAN TOURISTS. 



"We have been urged to append to our 
book of travel a few practical hints to 
those contemplating a tour of Europe, and 
also to give such information as we may 
possess as to the cost of travel. Consider- 
able information on these points will be 
found in the foregoing pages, which we 
briefly summarize for the benefit of the 
inexperienced. 

PATIENCE AND GOOD TEMPER. 

We have met many Americans in 
Europe who have failed to take with them 
a stock of good temper and patient for- 
bearance. They grumble and growl, and 
find fault with everything and everybody. 
They thus render themselves unhappy, 
and fail to enjoy the trip as those of more 
equable temperament always do. All 
tourists should go with the determination 
to take the world as they find it, and have 
a jolly good time. Although they may 
discover that Europe has much to learn 
from America, they will finally come to 
the conclusion that we have still much to 
learn from these old countries. The great 
majority of American tourists enjoy the 
sights and scenes and life in Europe, and 
come home wiser and better ; but there 
are still many who fail to make good use 
of their opportunities. 

FIREARMS. 

Firearms of all kinds should be locked 
up carefully and left at home. The 
European tourist is more apt to shoot 
himself than to require them to shoot any 
one else. Leave them at home, by all 
means. 

CLOTHING. 

Those who visit Europe to enjoy travel 
should burden themselves with as little 
clothing as possible, taking only sufficient 
for comfort and respectable appearance. 
One medium-sized trunk is abundant, for 
the transportion of which pay by weight 
is required at every depot. 

MONEY. 

A circular letter of credit from a re- 
sponsible house, like that of Messrs. AVil- 
liam McKim & Co., of Baltimore, is sure 
never to come to grief during the journey. 
A very important consideration, 

GUIDES. 

Avoid guides as much as possible. 



Sometimes they are useful for a day or 
two in Rome ; but gentlemen traveling 
without ladies can do very Avell without 
them. Not one of these guides in ten 
can talk understandable English, and they 
are sure to swindle their employers in 
some way before they are done with them. 

LANGUAGE. 

Tourists who do not deviate from the 
regular track of travel will find the Eng- 
lish language spoken at nearly all the 
hotels and in most of the principal stores. 
A little knowledge of French and German 
is, however, very useful, and will add 
much to the enjoyment of travel. 

GUIDE-BOOKS. 

It is almost impossible to travel through 
Europe without guide-books, and we have 
no hesitation in recommending those of 
Baedeker as the most serviceable and reli- 
able. Murray's London and Galignani's * 
Paris are essential for those cities. AVith 
these books the tourist will be, in a meas- 
ure, independent of hotel-keepers, com- 
missionnaires, and guides, and if he pos- 
sesses the ordinary shrewdness of the 
roaming American, they will save him ten 
times their cost in fees and extortions. 
It costs money to ask questions in Europe. 

PASSPORTS. 

Passports are no longer a necessity, ^ 
except in Spain, Turkey, and Egypt. We 
have made two journeys over the Conti- 
nent without any, and were never asked 
for them in any of the various countries 
through which we passed. They are, 
however, a convenience in case of meet- 
ing with any trouble, and it is well to be 
provided with one. To obtain a passport 
it is only necessary to go before a magis- 
trate and take oath that you are a native- 
born or naturalized citizen of the United 
States, appending to the oath the age of 
the applicant, a statement of the stature, 
forehead, nose, eyes, mouth, chin, hair, 
and shape of the face. This should be 
mailed to the State Department at Wash- 
ington, with stamps sufficient to pay the 
postage on the passport, which will be 
forwarded by return of mail without 
charge of any kind. If traveling with a 
family, one passport is sufficient, but their 
names and ages must be furnished the 
Department. 

311 



312 



HINTS TO EUROPEAN TOURISTS. 



RAILROAD TRAVEL. 

Second-class cars in all parts of Europe 
are p;ood enough for any one, and the cost 
is alDout one-third less than first-class. If 
traveling at night, it may be well to take 
first-class tickets, as these cars are seldom 
crowded, and room can be had to stretch 
out and take a nap. 

HOTELS. 

The average hotel charges are much 
cheaper, in most parts of Europe, than 
they are in the United States, and the 
beds and attendance are invariably good, 
even in second-class establishments. By 
taking meals in the restaurants the cost 
is but little more than half the hotel 
charges, and generally the quality of the 
food is much better. The table- d'hote 
dinners at the hotels are, to most Ameri- 
cans, an abomination, and are only sub- 
mitted to when ladies are of the party. 
A tourist of moderate wants can live 
almost anywhere in Europe at three dol- 
lars or less per day, without wine. When 
leaving a hotel, it is next to impossible to 
get the bill until the carriage is at the 
door ready to start for the depot. There 
is then no time to examine its long array 
of items, but there is sure to be an abun- 
dance of improper charges. If time is 
taken to call attention to them, they are 
stricken off, with all manner of apologies 
for the errors of the stupid clerk. 

THE COST OF TRAVEL. 

The cost of travel depends altogether 
on the tourist, and can be made to range 
all the way from five dollars to ten dollars 
or more per diem. Three or four young 
men of abstemious haljits can land at 
Queenstown, visit all the principal cities 
and sights of Ireland, cross to Glasgow 
and Edinburgh, then to London, and on 
to Paris •, from thence to Marseilles, and 
down the Mediterranean on one of the 
coasting steamers, stopping a day at 
Genoa, another at Leghorn and Pisa, a 
few hours at Civita Vecchia, and on to 
Naples, visiting Vesuvius and Pompeii ; 
thence to Rome, Florence, Venice, Verona, 
and Milan ; thence to Como, and up the 
lake to Colico ; across the SplUgen Pass 
of the Alps into Switzerland, visiting all 
its lakes and principal cities and sum- 
mer resorts, as well as climbing some of 
its mountains ; thence to INIannheim, and 
down the Rhine to Cologne, and back to 
Paris, London, Liverpool, and home, for 
one thousand dollars each, or less, if very 
economical. The time required for such 
a tour would be about four months ; at 



least we, although not as young and 
active as we once were, made it, in 1872, 
in two weeks less than four months, and 
had abundance of time to see everything 
that was worth seeing. If parties making 
such a trip finish up Paris and London 
before starting for Italy, they can strike 
oiF from Cologne to Brussels, and thence 
to Prague, Dresden, and Berlin, and take 
steamer at Bremen for home without 
prolonging their time, increasing their 
expenses, or passing twice over the same 
ground. 

RAPID TRAVELING. 

The tourist can travel as rapidly in 
Europe as in the United States, the trains 
everywhere making connections. Most 
Americans visiting Europe are limited in 
time. This was our own case during the 
summer of 1872. Three of our party of 
four were ladies. We were absent from 
Paris fifty-seven days, and during that 
time visited Marseilles, Genoa, Leghorn, 
Pisa, Civita Vecchia, Naples, Pompeii, 
Vesuvius, Rome, Florence, Venice, Ve- 
rona, Milan, Lake Como, crossed the Alps, 
visited Coire, Zurich, Lucerne, Lake of 
Zurich, Fluelen, Mount Righi,Einsiede]n, 
Berne, Interlaken, Lausanne, Genoa, 
Mont Blanc, Neufchatel, Baden-Baden, 
Mannheim, down the Rhine, and Cologne. 
We saw all that was worth seeing, and 
much more than most persons who spend 
a year in their journey. It requires, 
however, love of travel, and pluck and 
perseverance, to move so rapidly. 

cook's tours. 
During last summer we met several of 
Cook's continental parties, mostly Ameri- 
cans, and they invai'iably expressed them- 
selves as well pleased. They were gener- 
ally those who were limited in time and ■ 
not overstocked with money. They had 
one of the Messrs. Cook accompanying 
them, who shielded them from all the 
annoyances of travel, took care of their 
luggage, acted as guide and general pur- 
veyor, and protected them from the horde 
of vultures Avho make a business of fleec- 
ing travelers. They had plenty of com- 
panions, and were generally the most 
jolly of all the tourists we met. The cost 
to each was undoubtedly less than it 
would have been if they had been travel- 
ing alone, whilst they had nothing to 
annoy or vex them or ruffle their temper. 
The party we met at Munich — mostly 
" Yankee school-teachers" — told us that 
they paid eight hundred dollars each, and 
were to be back in New York in one hun- 
dred and ten days from their departure. 



:je=(DFtjj1aJ^:r i^ovels 



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First Series. CECIL CASTLEMAINE'S GAGE. 
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THE OLD MAM'SELLE'S SECRET. 

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